One of Chelsea’s best performing players of last season has been shockingly linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge this summer.
Marc Cucurella’s rise to becoming one of the best left-backs in world football continued in 2024/25, and this seems to have left a lasting impression on footballing legend Cristiano Ronaldo.
Reports have stated that Ronaldo wants to bring Cucurella to Al Nassr, where he would link up again with Joao Felix, who is expected to join in the coming days.
The Blues would clearly not be looking to sell the defender, with Enzo Maresca naming Cucurella as one of his top players in West London.
Chelsea should select Lewis Hall to replace Marc Cucurella if sold
However, if the Saudi Arabian side come Chelsea’s way with a massive offer, very few players are seen as unsellable at all costs by the new owners at the club.
In a world where Cucurella did depart, the Blues would need a seriously impressive replacement to come in, and one player who fits that bill is Newcastle defender Lewis Hall.
The Blues made the decision to sell the youngster for big money two years ago, despite there being plenty of belief that he would go on to achieve big things in the game.
Hall has been tipped to be England’s future left-back, and the 20-year-old would fit perfectly into the role currently occupied by Cucurella.
Being described as ‘outstanding’ by current manager Eddie Howe (BBC Sport), it does not feel like it will be long before one of the traditional big six make a move to sign him, and Chelsea should put themselves in that conversation.
Enzo Maresca’s system would perfectly suit Lewis Hall
Despite hardly contributing to goals before the new manager’s arrival, Cucurella was able to boast 11 goal contributions throughout the 2024/25 season.
A lot of these came after he found himself picking up new positions in the final third, frequently being the man in the right place to convert.
With Hall having experience playing in midfield during his time with the Chelsea academy, he would be very comfortable in possession in the attacking areas.
If Reece James is going to return to the right-back position, he is unlikely to be able to keep up with the demands being asked of the attacking full-back by Enzo Maresca.
This opens up the chance for this to happen on the left, and there are very few who could have the same impact of Hall if he was to return to Stamford Bridge.
