Marc Cucurella

[Tugay One Cup]

We spent £45m on a backup defensive mid a few weeks ago. If you think that's good value for money, I have no idea how you can have a problem with the idea of paying £5m more for a starter left back.

As much as I do get the club wanting to draw a line under the precedent we've already set for ourselves, I don't get why this particular move is the one where we decide to be frugal. Especially when you consider the fact that we've just sold our only left sided full back.

Just a bit weird.

 

[not my fault!]

I’m actually bored of this transfer now and Brighton’s media attention seeking. I’d rather we just move on in all honesty then give them more press time.
In reality Cucurella has had one ok season with a very average team, prior to that nobody knew who he was and the world‘s elite teams weren’t exactly lining up to sign him. I’m not saying he’s not ideal for us but I’m also sure he’s not the only one who could be.
I’d rather we use our time and efforts now to identify and negotiate with other targets than waste it with Bloom and his board. They are clearly using it as a PR stunt and don’t care about the player. Others will take note though at their methods, be it players, agents or clubs.

 

[stan bowles]

It sends out a strong message to other players, that they won't be allowed to leave for double what they were bought for, that they won't get the chance to play in the champions league, that they won't get the chance to compete for trophies.
It will be interesting to see if he gets a new contract at Brighton, similar wages to other fullbacks that are valued at £50m. I'd certainly be knocking on the door asking why they think I'm worth £50m yet getting the wages of a full back valued at £15m

Presumably offering him a 5 year contract was evidence of their belief in him as a player. If his agent thought the wages were not good enough he would have advised his client not to sign it. No one at BHA forced him to sign the contract. Having done so, he can't expect them to sell him at well below what they consider to be below their valuation. Maybe if we offer £40M + they will accept ?

 

[richards30]

We spent £45m on a backup defensive mid a few weeks ago. If you think that's good value for money, I have no idea how you can have a problem with the idea of paying £5m more for a starter left back.

As much as I do get the club wanting to draw a line under the precedent we've already set for ourselves, I don't get why this particular move is the one where we decide to be frugal. Especially when you consider the fact that we've just sold our only left sided full back.

Just a bit weird.

Very good post mate and completely agree! We’ve currently made a mess of this one so far and I really hope the club aren’t stupid enough to not either sort this transfer or another top LB asap.

 

[Stirling1978]

As a Brighton fan it's fascinating reading this thread and getting the other side's perspective. Having seen a lot of Cucurella live, I think he's an excellent player - and essential to the way we played for much of last season. We may be "small" in Premier League terms, and obviously we're still newbies when it comes to the big time - but the club IS ambitious, and Tony Bloom has shown many times that he will not sell unless he gets the right money (even if the player gets upset and puts in a transfer request). It's part of the club's strategy to be a long-term player in the EPL. We don't have the resources of City, and never will have. But we ARE good at unearthing young talent and fostering it. Not unlike City, but on a very small sale (eg: the relationship with Royal Union St Gilloise in Belgium, and the number of young players we currently have out on loan). We definitely do NOT take young players from bigger clubs on loan - so the prospect of fostering a relationship with City and getting some of your brightest U23s is a non-starter. And setting a perceived high price has nothing to do with BHA wanting to "get one over" City. We're not in that game! We're too small for anyone to worry about us!!
At the end of the day we MAY sell Cucurella to City, but it will take a lot more than has been offered. Cucurella is, after all, a significant upgrade on Ake. But if City don't meet the valuation, then that's fine...we keep an excellent player who has 4 years left on his contract. Cucurella may be disappointed if that's the way it pans out, but he seems a great guy, and he's hardly likely to goon strike for 4 years!

Good post, but Cucurella wouldn’t be an ‘upgrade’ on Ake as he would be coming to play a different position!

 

[stan bowles]

Valuation is not a true reflection on the quality of player. I suspect other motives at play here.

Any club that offers more than double for a player that had 1 good season is offering a fair and realistic evaluation post covid.

And maybe if he has another couple of good seasons other clubs will be interested in him and his value will continue to grow. It's frustrating for us but they are clearly not determined to sell him for less than their valuation of him.

 

[wolviedinho]

And maybe if he has another couple of good seasons other clubs will be interested in him and his value will continue to grow. It's frustrating for us but they are clearly not determined to sell him for less than their valuation of him.

He could also turn to shit.

 

[Nicholas van Whatsisface]

Yes but it impacts their negotiating position in future transfers. Let him go to City for £30 million when they've said from Day 1 they want £50 million for and they know other clubs will walk all over them in future transfer dealings. The Kane deal fell through last Summer and he was back onside for Spurs before a few weeks were out and the fans and teammates welcomed him back.
We're different and we let players go if that's what they want for a fair price. Doesn't mean other clubs have to though.

I don’t think anyone is suggesting he’d be sold for £30m - that was City’s opening offer, nothing more.

£45m is tripling the money they paid for him. And if you believe their last few briefings, they don’t even consider that to be enough.

I doubt anyone would consider that deal to be walking allover anyone.

And with respect, Spurs are a slightly different proposition to Brighton. Kane was Captain of England playing for Spurs, who - despite never winning anything - are still one of the top teams in the country, and was regularly competing to get into the CL. Not to mention Spurs are his boyhood Club.

It’s a completely different situation.

Cucurella is trying to get selected for his national team in a World Cup year, and as it stands has just one cap - and that was before he joined Brighton!

 

[ancoats]

It's a big week for Manchester city in the transfer window, do we pay the asking price to Brighton and sign marc-cucurella, we have sold the club to the player and agreed terms, even cucurella has put in a transfer request, he's done everything possible to make the move, now its up to city to prove we want him and pay the asking price

for both parties, it's best for the player we pay up and give them the £50million and show him we really value him,
because if we don't the player will be left in limbo and Manchester city short of left back options,

pep should also be backed and given the left back he's always wanted, OK he's come out and said we have options at left back, but the truth is the options are not proper left backs unless he plays the young Wilson-Esbrand,

 

[hihosilva]

I’m actually bored of this transfer now and Brighton’s media attention seeking. I’d rather we just move on in all honesty then give them more press time.
In reality Cucurella has had one ok season with a very average team, prior to that nobody knew who he was and the world‘s elite teams weren’t exactly lining up to sign him. I’m not saying he’s not ideal for us but I’m also sure he’s not the only one who could be.
I’d rather we use our time and efforts now to identify and negotiate with other targets than waste it with Bloom and his board. They are clearly using it as a PR stunt and don’t care about the player. Others will take note though at their methods, be it players, agents or clubs.

An interesting read from a Brighton perspective but I fully expect this deal to be done & both parties will spin that they have a very good deal.