Chelsea slammed for ‘crazy’ decision over Marc Cucurella transfer

Marc Cucurella on hair pulling incident during Chelsea v Tottenham

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Chelsea have been slammed by club icon Frank Leboeuf for their “crazy” decision to spend more than £60million to sign Marc Cucurella from Brighton last summer. The left-back has struggled for form since making the move to Stamford Bridge and is in danger of losing his place to Ben Chilwell, who has returned to action following a lengthy injury layoff.

“Hopefully Reece James and Ben Chilwell will go back into fitness as soon as possible because we need them,” Leboeuf told ESPN. “We don’t want to see Cucurella anymore. With all due respect to a man that I don’t know, the player is not good enough for Chelsea. It’s as simple as that. It’s crazy that they signed him for £60m or £70m – but we can see that he doesn’t belong to this level.”

Cucurella moved to England in August 2021 when Brighton prised him away from Getafe. And the 24-year-old went on to enjoy a fine maiden campaign in the Premier League as he racked up 38 appearances for the Seagulls in all competitions as the team secured a ninth-place top-flight finish.

Cucurella, who has one Spain cap to his name, put pen-to-paper on a six-year deal in west London on the eve of the new season and was handed his Blues debut under former manager Thomas Tuchel against Everton a day later.

The player has continued to hold down a regular starting place at Stamford Bridge under ex-Brighton mentor Graham Potter, who initially brought him to England, and has earned 24 appearances this season. But he has looked a shadow of the player he was last term and came under fire from Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher after the Blues lost to Manchester City last month as the ex-Liverpool right-back claimed the left-back “doesn’t want to defend.”

Chilwell, who last started a Premier League game in mid-October when Manchester United visited Stamford Bridge, has been tipped the wrestle the left-back jersey away from Cucurella in the coming weeks. But Potter leapt to the defence of the Spaniard last month.

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“Some players have dips in form and there are different solutions in games,” the 47-year-old said. “That is sometimes the case. Marc has had a lot to deal with. I think it’s been challenging for him. He’s had some things off the pitch as well family-wise that have been difficult for him as well.

“There are many factors. You see a guy on the pitch and have a verdict but there are things going on in his life. I know Marc well and at his best he is a top player.”

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