Marc Cucurella swapping Stamford Bridge for the Santiago Bernabeu was always going to trigger a chain reaction. And now we have our first glimpse of h...
Marc Cucurella swapping Stamford Bridge for the Santiago Bernabeu was always going to trigger a chain reaction. And now we have our first glimpse of how Chelsea intend to solve the problem his departure creates. The name is Andrea Cambiaso, and the Blues have already made their move.According to reports reaching GoalZaza, Chelsea have tabled a £28 million offer for the Juventus wide man. This is not a panic buy, nor is it some scattergun approach from the recruitment team. It is a calculated response to a specific weakness. Cucurella, for all his critics, offered balance on the left. He pushed high, tucked into midfield, and understood the demands of the Premier League. Cambiaso, at 26, is entering his prime and brings a different kind of threat.The Italian international is not your average full back. He is technically assured, comfortable cutting inside onto his stronger right foot, and has an eye for a cross that bypasses the first defender. For a Chelsea side that often labours to break down a low block, that delivery could be gold dust. The question is whether Juventus will let him go without driving a harder bargain. A swap deal is being discussed, though the details remain murky. Expect this one to run deep into the summer.What is clear is that the conveyor belt at Cobham has not produced a ready made replacement for the left side. So Enzo Maresca will look to the market. Cambiaso offers tactical flexibility, capable of operating as a wing back or a more orthodox full back. He is not a marquee name that shifts shirts, but he is exactly the type of player who makes a good side tick. Sometimes the quiet signings are the ones that win you titles. Or at least get you back into the Champions League.You have to wonder, though, whether £28 million is enough to prise him away from Turin. Juventus are not a selling club in the way they once were, and Cambiaso has become a fixture under Thiago Motta. Chelsea will need to show their hand early if they want to avoid a long, drawn out saga. The clock is ticking, and the left flank is waiting for its new master.
