Aston Villa have reportedly identified Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella as a potential summer transfer target.
The West Midlands outfit are currently focused on trying to end one of their best campaigns in decades with a fourth-placed finish in the Premier League standings.
That would subsequently result in qualification for the Champions League, an achievement that would also help ease any lingering issues with the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules.
Unai Emery will want to get Villa over the line before making any decisions over potential additions to his squad, but competing in the Europa Conference League this term has stretched his squad.
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Villa considering move for Cucurella
As well as potentially looking to strengthen in areas where Villa have sometimes been left light due to injury, acquiring a new left-back may be on Emery's priority list.
Lucas Digne and Alex Moreno have shared the workload throughout this season and have contributed three goals and three assists between them, yet both players are now 30 years of age.
At some point, whether that be under Emery or a different manager, a younger alternative will have to be sought, seemingly bringing Cucurella into the equation.
According to TEAMtalk, Villa are interested in acquiring the services of Cucurella should they be able to negotiate a deal with Chelsea.
That may be far easier said than done with the Spain international having cost in excess of £60m when he arrived from Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer of 2022.
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Would Chelsea be willing to sell?
While it cannot be argued that Cucurella has not justified his price tag, there have been times this season when the 25-year-old has shown sufficient improvement.
A total of 18 starts and one substitute outing have been made in 2023-24, with Cucurella having generally impressed on seven starts since recovering from ankle surgery.
The situation is complicated by Ben Chilwell struggling to put together a run of games, with Cucurella a suitable replacement when required.
On the flip side, Chelsea need to find solutions to comply with the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules, and cashing in on Cucurella would help with that cause.
Although a transfer fee is not mentioned, previous reports have indicated that Chelsea may be willing to entertain offers in the region of £30m, despite the substantial loss that it would bring on the initial transfer.
Darren Plant
