Manchester City's transfer stance that may give Brighton hope in Marc Cucurella saga

Manchester City could head into the 2022/23 season without a recognised left-back if they cannot convince Brighton to lower their valuation of Marc Cucurella.

The Premier League champions eye the Spaniard as their top priority signing this summer in order to bolster options on their left-side. Cucurella’s reputation has grown after a superb first season in the Premier League with Brighton, leading to City’s interest.

After Oleksandr Zinchenko’s move to Arsenal, it is believed City will begin to step up their pursuit for Cucurella. However, the champions face an uphill task with reports they are £20million off from Brighton’s valuation of the full-back.

It is said Brighton want £50m for the Spaniard but ESPN claim that although City are keen to complete a deal they are not prepared to meet Albion’s price tag, citing £30m as a closer valuation of the defender. Therefore, Guardiola may instead rely on the likes of right-sided defender Joao Cancelo and centre-backs Aymeric Laporte and Nathan Ake to fulfil the role at the start of the Premier League campaign.

ESPN state sources have revealed that City ‘will not pay beyond their valuation of Cucurella simply to get the deal done’ and it is not the first time City have turned their back on transfer targets when money has become an issue. Alexis Sanchez came close to a move to the Etihad from Arsenal, but the Chilean instead joined Manchester United in January 2018 after City were put off by an increase in wage demands.

In 2019, Guardiola admitted the club could not afford to sign Harry Maguire as the Leicester City defender joined arch-rivals United in a deal worth £80m. It was a similar story with Fred who completed a £47m move to Old Trafford a year earlier after being linked