Chelsea’s 62m signing snubs Newcastle United to fight for his spot at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella is looking forward to putting in the yards during pre-season, the first he’ll have as a Chelsea player after a difficult first year at the club.

The 24-year-old had been linked with Newcastle having failed to show the form that made Chelsea beat Manchester City to his signature last summer.

But the Evening Standard is reporting that the player is determined to work hard and not look for an exit from the club this summer, especially at a time the club is re-structuring and going in a new direction under new manager Mauricio Pochettino.

He will now look to take the fight to Ben Chilwell who impressed playing as the first-choice left-back despite injuries threatening to disrupt his campaign.

The arrival of the new manager especially at the beginning of a campaign gives players the chance to fight for their spot, and Cucurella who was also briefly linked to Atletico Madrid wants to just knuckle down and show what he can do.

Chelsea have sold midfielder Mateo Kovacic to Manchester City , and let go of French World Cup winner N’Golo Kante, Champions League-winning goalkeeper Edouard Mendy has also left as well as Kalidou Koulibaly who only joined the club last season from Italian side Napoli.

It has not been all outgoing though with the Blues also signing Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson while still speaking to Brighton for highly impressive midfielder Moises Caicedo who is the club’s prime transfer target this summer.

New manager Mauricio Pochettino has been working with a group on his first players that includes Raheem Sterling, Reece James and Ben Chilwell with more first-teamers expected back next week.