The summer of 2022 was a busy one for Chelsea as Todd Boehly and Clearlake completed their takeover of the club and immediately, Boehly opened the cheque book.
In his first year, Chelsea spent a whopping £747m. It saw the likes of Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo join the club, costing more than £100m apiece. Whether Chelsea have improved is another question.
Another signing that cost Boehly a huge amount of money was Marc Cucurella, in the summer of 2022. The Spain left-back joined from Brighton and has been crucial for Chelsea ever since his arrival.
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One of Chelsea’s key players, Cucurella is widely considered among the top left-backs in world football. But Todd Boehly has told an iConnections event that he only signed Cucurella due to Man City’s interest.
“Having taken over in the circumstances that we did, basically the whole management team left. I was stuck being interim Sporting Director for a summer, having no idea what made a good football player.
“But knowing that Marc Cucurella, if Man City wanted him, I want him. It was really simple that way,” Boehly admitted in the last few days, suggesting he only signed Cucurella because City wanted him.
It will be criticised, but Cucurella has been a Boehly masterstroke
Cucurella was a top player at Brighton, but still proving his worth. An expensive outlay at £60m, the left-back has since become a Euro 2024 winner and one of the best left-footed players in England’s top tier.
Marc Cucurella in action in Chelsea vs West Ham
Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images
Certainly, Cucurella will be missed on Sunday as Chelsea take on Arsenal. But Liam Rosenior believes Cucurella is “one of the best left-backs” in the world and already is taking on a senior role in this side.
Already in almost four years at the club, Cucurella is on the verge of clocking up 150 appearances in blue. It may have been without any proper scouting or knowledge, but Boehly pulled off a masterstroke.
Marc Cucurella almost left Chelsea under Mauricio Pochettino
If signing Cucurella was a bit of blind luck in terms of how it has turned out since the left-back arrived in West London, keeping him at the club was a decision Boehly has to be thankful for, for Pochettino.
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Reece James speaks with Marc Cucurella during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Arsenal at Stamford Bridge
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images
Speaking to Jake Humphrey in the past few weeks, Pochettino said: “Cucurella didn’t play from the beginning and the club wanted to sell him, but he became the best full-back in the Premier League.”
Boehly signed a stunner in Cucurella, and Pochettino deserves praise not only for keeping him but turning him into what both he and Rosenior agree, is one of the best players in the league as things stand.
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