Chelsea have confirmed the permanent signing of defender £62m Marc Cucurella from Brighton.
Chelsea swooped in after Manchester City refused to meet Brighton’s asking price of more than £50 million for the versatile 24-year-old, who is a left-back by trade but also impressed in a left centre-back role for Brighton last season.
“I’m really happy,” Cucurella said after signing a six-year contract. “It’s a big opportunity for me to join one of the best clubs in the world and I’m going to work hard to be happy here and help the team.”
Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly added: “Marc is an elite defender of proven Premier League quality and he further strengthens our squad going into the new season. We continue to work on and off the pitch, and we’re delighted Marc will be a part of the present and future at Chelsea.”
In a separate deal, Blues academy graduate Colwill has moved to Brighton on a 12-month loan to help fill the void left by Cucurella.
