There are many days in a transfer window. But there aren’t many days like Wednesday. There aren’t many days when a Premier League club feels compelled to release an official statement denying the latest transfer rumors of the major here we come.
Marc Cucurella may yet become a Chelsea player, and maybe soon, but the delay was worth the Twitter drama alone.
let’s see who lied
– Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 3, 2022
So where do we stand after a pretty hectic 24 hours?
Chelsea’s £52.5m offer, submitted on Tuesday night, appears to be a good one. It has hit the asking price for Brighton, unlike Manchester City’s recent efforts, and the Seagulls seem to have let everyone involved know, presumably leading to what turned out to be a slightly premature report on the entire deal and the termination of the agreement.
With the personal terms already agreed upon, the transfer is on track for a convenient conclusion. Medical and other tests remain scheduled, according to the Telegraph.
Figures close to Marc Cucurella’s operation insist that the #chelsea The transfer will now go ahead, with a doctor reserved, although Brighton sources were still insisting on Wednesday night that no final deal had been reached.
[via @Matt_Law_DT]
— Absolute Chelsea (@AbsoluteChelsea) August 3, 2022
So what is the delay?
Apparently, that part has to do with a certain Levi Colwill, who seems willing to go the other way. Officially, he’s not a party to the Cucurella deal, but by all practical measures, he appears to be: Brighton isn’t about to fully sign off on the Cucurella deal until the Colwill deal is done. Fair enough, I guess, but also a little paranoid. (And also a wonderful example of why part-exchange deals are so rare in football, with so many variable and moving parts and ways things can go wrong.)
Colwill’s transfer is said to be worth around £20-25m, with a buyback clause of double that amount included as well. Out with the Lending Army, in with the Repurchase Army!
I wonder what Thursday will bring…
Brighton’s denial is perfectly normal. They won’t confirm until the Levi Colwill deal is complete as well even though it’s technically separate. But there is a complete agreement for Cucurella. (#CalmaCucurella )
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) August 3, 2022