What’s the story?
Real Madrid have emerged as a shock destination for Barcelona wonder-kid Marc Cucurella, according to Spanish outlet Don Balon. The 18-year-old left-back has made a name for himself while playing for the Barcelona B team and is also a Spanish Under-19 international.
Cucurella’s contract with the Camp Nou outfit expires in the summer and the youngster has refused to extend his contract with the Catalan giants. European giants including Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur among other clubs are also monitoring the situation of the full-back.
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Cucurella has been hailed as the next big thing coming through the ranks of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy and has already notched up 16 appearances for the second team this season, while scoring one goal and assisting another 4.
However, the 18-year-old’s path to the first-team is blocked by the presence of Jordi Alba and Lucas Digne at the Camp Nou outfit and as such the youngster feels a move away from the club would be best for his future.
The heart of the matter
Real Madrid’s only recognized left back in the squad apart from Marcelo is Fabio Coentrao, whose Santiago Bernabeu career looks all but over. The Portuguese has made only 5 appearances this season, which includes only 2 starts. It is expected that the 29-year-old will be shipped out in the impending summer clear out at the Spanish giants.
Los Blancos eye Cucurella as an understudy of Marcelo, who can also deputize in the absence of the Brazilian international. However, Zinedine Zidane’s side face stiff competition from Premier League outfit Manchester City, who are also eyeing a summer overhaul of their ageing squad.
The Blues manager Pep Guardiola wants youngsters in his team, especially in the full-back department, with all four of his current full-backs currently aged 31 and above. The Spaniard has a habit of injecting young blood into his team, as was evident during his stints with Barcelona and Bayern Munich,
What’s next?
Cucurella is all but certain to leave the Camp Nou outfit in the summer, however, it remains to be seen where he finally ends up at. Both Real Madrid and Manchester City are very attractive options for the Barcelona wonderkid, however, the lure of staying and progressing his career in Spain might prove too hard for the youngster to turn down.
Author's Take
Barcelona have stopped promoting as many youth team players into the first-team squad since the departure of Pep Guardiola and this has lead to several high-profile departures in the recent past.
The Catalan giants might have one of the best academies in the world but if they don’t provide the youngsters with the opportunity to showcase their talent it is highly unlikely that they will be able to keep hold of their prized assets.
