Man Utd’s failed transfer attempt causes ‘rift’ between player and head coach of Premier League rivals

A player Manchester United tried to sign in January is now growing increasingly unsettled at his current club.

United found themselves needing more depth at full-back during the final days of the summer transfer window, and they wound up snapping up Sergio Reguillon on a loan deal from Tottenham. But it’s no secret that United tried to sign Chelsea star Marc Cucurella first before the enforced late change of direction.

Cucurella’s loan move to United was blocked in the final stages of the window, and that was despite Mauricio Pochettino not valuing the Spaniard as one of his key players.

The 25-year-old, who arrived on a £56million deal from Brighton last summer, has failed to register a single Premier League appearance so far, turning out once in the Carabao Cup. According to The Mirror, Cucurella is not happy after seeing his move away blocked despite finding himself as a bench player so far this season.

It’s claimed the Spaniard has held talks with Pochettino as a result, letting his boss know that he is unhappy and that he will be seeking some kind of move during the January transfer window. A loan move is more likely given Chelsea won’t want to take a quick loss on their £56million investment.

United may be linked as a result, but they are unlikely to make a move given they now have Reguillon for the season.

During his last media appearance in the summer, Cucurella told ESPN: “I play all my career in a [smaller] club so we don’t have this pressure. When you come to these big clubs, you feel this pressure and sometimes it is not easy to play with this pressure because you know you need to win every game.

“Sometimes you need to adapt as well to these situations, but this is part of life. Sometimes you have good years, bad years, but the most important thing is to learn and have energy to improve.”