Marc Cucurella sends message to Graham Potter – plus Barcelona and Thomas Tuchel admission

Cucurella, 25, was voted Albion's player of the year last season but left earlier this window for Chelsea in a record-breaking deal.

The Spaniard was hugely popular with fans, teammates and management at Brighton having joined them from Getafe for £15.4m last summer.

The former Barcelona man delivered some dazzling displays down left flank and he has continued that fine form with his new club Chelsea.

"Maybe the best year of my career," Cucurella said when reflecting on his time with Brighton.

It appeared the Spaniard would be on his way to Man City but the Premier League champions refused to match Albion's valuation and Chelsea made the decisive move.

"A lot of rumours," Cucurella added. "I think it was a good moment to move to a big club.

"Chelsea is a big club. Very happy to stay here. Interested in me all summer. Happy to stay here.

Cucurella also revealed Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has tracked him since his Barcelona academy days, admitting his surprise that the Blues manager had followed his career so closely.

“I’m surprised and I was very happy, he said he saw me when I was playing in Barcelona academy,” said Cucurella.

“And I’m very surprised he’s a big fan. He told me I need to work hard now and that he’s very happy to have me here. Chelsea have given me this opportunity and I need to work hard to meet that.

“This is a big responsibility for me, but I’m happy because Todd (Boehly) and the gaffer have shown a lot of interest and faith in me.”

Chelsea’s transformative summer shows no signs of abating under the new US owners.

The Blues are understood to be continuing to press to sign Frenkie De Jong and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Barcelona.

Chelsea will also press ahead with plans to bring in Leicester’s Wesley Fofana and Everton’s Anthony Gordon.

A £12million deal for Inter Milan midfielder Cesare Casadei also continues to move closer to completion, it is understood.

“I think it’s great if new players are arriving, that will be better for the team,” said Cucurella.

“But also I think the level of the team is already really high. We have a good team with a lot of good, young players.

“Winning trophies is very difficult but we’ll work hard all the season for this objective.

“The team has experience of winning big trophies and this is our objective for this season, to win trophies. And obviously the Premier League is one of those.”