Summary Newcastle are looking at signing a defender from one of the Premier League's biggest clubs. The move could transform Harvey Barnes' performances on the left flank. The player earns a hefty £175k-per-week, meaning Newcastle would have to go the extra mile to seal a deal.
Newcastle United could be set to complete their summer spending spree by swooping for a struggling Premier League star, with Eddie Howe's side returning to European competition this year.
What defenders could Newcastle sign?
According to the Telegraph's Luke Edwards, Chelsea's Marc Cucurella is being considered for a loan move to St. James' Park alongside Arsenal's Kieran Tierney, with the respective left-backs currently on the periphery at their London clubs.
Cucurella signed for the Blues from Brighton & Hove Albion one year ago for no small sum of £63m, but has largely flattered to deceive at Stamford Bridge and does not look set to usurp Ben Chilwell from his position in the Chelsea defence.
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Howe stated last week that he hopes for one more signing this month after completing deals for Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento, and as per the Telegraph's report, Cucurella could indeed complete the business.
How good is Marc Cucurella?
The 25-year-old joined Brighton from LaLiga side Getafe in the summer of 2021 after the Seagulls matched his £15m release clause, proving to be an incredible piece of business following his extravagant sale to Chelsea one year on.
He was hailed for his "brilliant" performances by former Brighton teammate Leandro Trossard, and earned an average match rating of 7.17 – as per Sofascore – during the 2021/22 campaign, completing 82% of his passes, averaging 1.2 key passes, 2.7 tackles and 1.9 clearances per outing.
Despite failing to reach the same lofty heights at Stamford Bridge, Cucurella remains an impressive player and still ranks among the top 8% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted, the top 3% for tackles and the top 11% for blocks per 90, as per FBref.
The £175k-per-week gem would be the perfect option to share the workload with Dan Burn, who is solid and dependable for the Toon but offers a very different skill set to the marauding Cucurella.
Indeed, standing at 6 foot 6, Burn is not the most mobile but is resilient, and the variegated approach from the Spaniard could pay dividends as Newcastle look to compete across multiple fronts.
Such is his athleticism and attacking ability, therefore, that Cucurella could well prove to be the perfect option to bolster Barnes, who scored and assisted on his debut following his £39m transfer from relegated Leicester City.
Barnes' goal typified the best of his qualities and underlined just why Howe wanted his signature, darting past the shambolic Villan backline to latch onto Jacob Murphy's through ball and smack the ball past Emiliano Martinez, and with Cucurella's presence behind him, he could unlock the full scale of his potential.
Indeed, praised as a "livewire" by pundit Alan Hutton, Barnes scored 13 goals in the English top-flight last season despite Leicester's woes and ranks among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers for goals per 90, and Cucurella's crisp passing, assured presence down the left flank and intelligent overlapping runs could well be crucial.
If Newcastle can wrap up a loan deal for the Spaniard, it would only enrich the pool of talent at the club, and the Magpies' chances of eclipsing last season's resounding feats could well be realised.
