Man City shouldn't allow their own stubbornness to spoil Cucurella's perfect opportunity

Signing Marc Cucurella could end a perfect summer for Manchester City. Not even trying to meet Brighton halfway would be a mistake…

Manchester City were the best team in England last year. Then they signed one of the best centre-forwards in the world and an England international midfielder.

Pep Guardiola can't do much more to hone his champions, but the one obvious area still ripe for improvement is at left-back. City, however, have identified the perfect player to fill Guardiola's only hole.

Marc Cucurella would be a fabulous signing for City. The Brighton full-back was immense in his Premier League debut last season, failing to settle into English football after Brighton paid the £15.4m release clause sterling in his Getafe contract. He started all 35 league games after his arrival, deservingly ending the season with Brighton Fans' and Players' Player of the Season awards. Even for neutrals, he was one of the most exciting players in the league.

The 24-year-old has played in a variety of roles on the left side, as centre-back, full-back and full-back. Cucurella can defend, both one-on-one and within units, and despite registering just one assist last season, the fact that his Brighton team-mates appear to be doing their utmost not to not put the ball in the net cannot be held against him. His xA was higher (three) and he created 40 chances for the Seagulls.

From a stylistic point of view, Cucurella perfectly matches the profile Guardiola was looking for. Which isn't surprising considering the Catalan came through La Masia finishing school at Barcelona. Playing for Brighton, with very similar styles and patterns to City, is also ideal preparation for the left-back gig at the Etihad.

So why don't City just pay?

Their thinking is pretty obvious. They sold Oleksandr Zinchenko to Arsenal for around £30m and they believe Cucurella is in the same price bracket. And if they can snap up the Brighton defender for around that price, it would see them sign Cucurella, Erling Haaland and Kalvin Phillips for around the same figure they raked in selling Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and Zinchenko. Which would make City the transfer window champion and everything else next season.

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If only it were that simple. City's opening bid for Cucurella has apparently been ridiculed by Brighton and the Seagulls can afford to retain a sense of humor over the whole affair. Absent a bidding war, City attempted to assert their authority by insisting they had no intention of trading too far off their initial number and previous high in the market. transfers - Alexis Sanchez, Jorginho, Harry Maguire, Harry Kane, Riyad Mahrez initially - proved they weren't averse to walking away if things got a little too rich, even for their blood.

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But Brighton holds the cards here. Tony Bloom, nicknamed The Lizard in poker circles, has a very strong hand and showed last summer in Arsenal's pursuit of Ben White that he won't just fold when bigger clubs want to. its players.

Cucurella is only a year away from the five-year contract he signed with the Seagulls and while he might like to join City, Brighton aren't worried about the consequences of a freeze of the transfer if the price is not correct. Although City may claim their first offer gives Brighton a 100 per cent return on investment, Bloom is entitled to expect an even bigger profit and he knows City have no qualms about shelling out £50m sterling for full-backs. Guardiola has done just that three times - with Kyle Walker, Joao Cancelo and Benjamin Mendy - but here he is, still short of a left-back.