Chelsea have been one of the Premier League’s surprise packages this season.
Enzo Maresca has turned the West Londoners into a sensationally entertaining attacking juggernaut capable of giving anyone a game.
Moreover, while the defence is still a slight weakness compared to their rivals, the manager has been able to get the best out of Marc Cucurella.
However, football is a brutal business, and based on recent reports, the Spaniard could soon be replaced by one of the most exciting full-backs in world football.
Chelsea transfer news
According to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Chelsea are one of several sides interested in Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies.
Alongside the Blues, the report has revealed that Manchester City and Manchester United are also keen on the Canadian, while Arsenal and Liverpool ‘are being kept informed.’
The report claims that there is hope at the Allianz Arena that the five-time Bundesliga winner will remain in Bavaria.
However, he’s also supposedly interested in a move to the Premier League, and with his contract expiring in the summer, he’ll be free to enter into pre-contract negotiations next month and could leave for nothing.
While he’ll be available on a free, signing Davies could prove incredibly complicated, but given his immense ability, it would be a deal worth fighting for, even if it could be bad news for Cucurella.
How Cucurella compares to Davies
So, should Chelsea be able to get ahead of the competition next month and sign a pre-contract agreement with Davies, they’d probably do so with the intention of playing him as often as possible.
Therefore, he’d be up against Cucurella for game time.
With that, which left-back comes out on top when we compare them?
Appearances
42
26
Goals
3
1
Assists
6
2
Goal Involvements per Match
0.24
0.11
Appearances
21
19
Goals
1
2
Assists
3
2
Goal Involvements per Match
0.19
0.21
Well, when it comes to their raw output, which is an increasingly important metric for a full-back in the modern game, it’s the Canadian who comes out on top, and by quite some way at that.
For example, since the start of last season, the 24-year-old, whom USMNT legend Alexi Lalas dubbed “the best left back in the world,” has scored four goals and provided nine assists in just 63 appearances, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 4.84 games.
In contrast, the former Brighton & Hove Albion star has scored three goals and provided four assists in 45 appearances, resulting in a far less impressive average of a goal involvement every 6.42 games.
Unfortunately for the Spanish international, the one-sided nature of this comparison only continues when we look at their underlying numbers.
More specifically, when compared to other full-backs across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and European League by FBref, the Bayern ace’s top five underlying statistics make for far more impressive reading.
For example, he ranks in the top 1% for successful take-ons, the top 2% for progressive carries, the top 3% for pass completion, the top 6% for attempted passes and the top 9% for shot-creating actions, all per 90.
In contrast, the Blues star’s top five metrics see him in the top 5% for pass completion, the top 6% for blocks, the top 24% for tackles, the top 29% for attempted passes, and the top 33% for aerial duels won, all per 90.
Ultimately, while Cucurella remains a very talented left-back, there is seemingly no area of the game in which he outperforms Davies.
Therefore, while the competition will be tough, Chelsea must do whatever they can to secure the Canadian’s services next year.
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