How badly do we need the Cucurella signing?

When you look back on the last season as a whole, you might not put a left back on the absolute necessary sort of category. Cancelo has done very well there and Zinchenko has provided us with spark when we sort of struggled to break down low blocks. But, dissecting the season into high pressure moments, you notice that having a natural left back might have helped us out better both defensively and offensively.

Now, on the outset it might seem that both Zinchenko and Cancelo are excellent attacking outlets down that left hand side. But, i do not agree on this entirely. Take the Crystal Palace match for example, we struggled to break them down in both the games. Crystal Palace simply flooded the center of the pitch and defended narrow. Since neither Cancelo nor Zinchenko have the ability to go on the outside and put in crosses, it just made everything one dimensional. To an extent Madrid played the same ploy in the second leg against us.

So, if you look at it closely, there is a very high chance of this becoming a template for all the other teams. Yes, we might get away most of the time due to top class creativity in our team. But, in crunch moments like a Champion’s League knock out round, this might just prove to be our undoing.

An other important aspect is that bringing in a natural left back would mean that Cancelo could start more games on the right hand side and this could be the start of an all new lethal attacking outlet for City. Walker is very good defensively, but he is no where as capable of wreaking havoc as Cancelo. Now, this could unlock an other dimension to our way of breaking down teams with both the full backs capable of going on the outside and inside.

I know that Brighton are in a very strong position and they might command a fee of close to 60 m pounds. On the outside if we do go and pay that fee it might look as if we have been ripped off. But, when you look at the age of Cucurella and the qualities he brings to the team, i think it is an absolute no brainer to go for him very hard. I further feel that it is the responsibility of our club to give Pep Guardiola all the tools to create one of the best Club teams possible. In that context even 60 m pounds for Cucurella seems like an absolute bargain to me.

Being a full back in a Pep Guardiola system is as complex as it can get for a player in football. It is one of the most demanding positions in his system and it seems like Pep has identified a player who can do that role very well in Cucurella. I feel we must give him this transfer whatever the cost might be. You never know, this might be the difference in those biggest Champions League nights and in those moments every penny spent would seem more than justified.