According to The Athletic, Brighton & Hove Albion have opened negotiations for an improved contract with left-back Marc Cucurella amid interest from Manchester City. The Spaniard has four years remaining on his current contract. However, with the Premier League Champions lurking in the shadows, Brighton have moved to tempt their star man to stay with talks of an improved contract.
🚨 Brighton in discussions over improved deal for Marc Cucurella amid Man City interest. Talks at early stage & not due to #MCFC pursuit – more reward for fine season. Contract 2026 so would take major fee to sell. W/ @AndyNaylorBHAFC @TheAthleticUK #BHAFC https://t.co/wuYyCWrgQx
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) July 9, 2022
Brighton Open Contract Talks with Marc Cucurella Amid Manchester City Interest
A Priority for City
Manchester City earmarked Cucurella as a priority signing after completing the deal to sign Kalvin Phillips from Leeds United. Brighton owner Tony Bloom admitted the club will not necessarily stand in his way should City lodge an acceptable bid. However, the club has yet to receive an official transfer offer from the Premier League champions for the Spain International.
Bloom has praised the impact of the 23-year-old as Brighton finished ninth on the log last campaign. “Marc is a tremendous player, a tremendous person. He’s brilliant for the dressing room. The players love him, Graham and the coaches love him, I love him, and the fans love him.
“He was unbelievably good last season, his first season in the Premier League. We’re hoping for more to come, and we haven’t had a bid for him.”
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The Seagulls owner also refused to be drawn on Cucurella’s future despite interest from City, adding: “I’m not going to speculate on individual players we may or may not get bids for. The fact that there is speculation and there is interest in our players, I always view that as a positive.
“It hasn’t always been like that. There are less than three or four clubs where some of the players are not for sale.
“We’ve got to be realistic if a certain bid comes in and the player wants to move, the player will move, but we are not anticipating, we’re not looking for our best players to move on. If it happens and we get a bid then we have to consider it, but until that point, we carry on.”
Brighton are not necessarily eager to part ways with their gem, but a fee of around £50 million could prove too good to turn down.
Read More: Manchester City to Demand ‘€85-95 Million’ for Midfielder Amid Barcelona Interest
Brighton are in talks over an improved contract for Spain left-back Marc Cucurella, amid interest from Manchester City. [The Athletic] pic.twitter.com/S6KSA5HV9q
— PurelyFootball ℗ (@PurelyFootball) July 10, 2022
Warding Off City
Brighton secured the services of Marc Cucurella from Getafe just last summer after triggering his £15 million release clause. The Spaniard signed a five-year deal with the Seagulls and impressed in his debut season. He netted once and assisted twice in 39 games across all competitions, attracting interest from Manchester City.
Per David Ornstein, the contract renewal is a reward for the 23-year-old’s strong form last season rather than reacting to City’s interest. However, conversations with the Spaniard and his representatives are only in the preliminary stages.
