Christopher Nkunku was harshly criticized for his underwhelming performance in Chelsea’s FA Cup loss to Brighton on Saturday, with many labeling his transfer a “total waste of money.”
Although Chelsea initially took the lead following a disastrous mistake by Brighton’s goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, goals from Georginio Rutter and Kaoru Mitoma saw Chelsea knocked out in the fourth round.
This defeat adds to Chelsea’s ongoing struggles, with the team managing only three wins in their last ten games across all competitions.
Despite a strong lineup and the support of traveling fans, Chelsea failed to deliver, registering just two shots on target throughout the match.
With Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu sidelined, Nkunku was given a rare chance to lead the attack.
However the 27-year-old failed to impress.
His future at Stamford Bridge seemed uncertain after he started only three Premier League games under manager Enzo Maresca this season, with reports linking him to a January exit.
Former Chelsea player Craig Burley was blunt in his assessment, calling Nkunku’s contribution “a total waste of money.”
Burley pointed out that the team’s attacking play lacked sharpness, saying, “There was no cutting edge… Nkunku up front—what a total waste of money he’s been.”
After the match, Maresca admitted that Chelsea had missed Jackson’s presence in attack, but he remained hopeful that the striker could return in time for the next league fixture.
“Sometimes, you need to play without certain players to understand their importance,” he explained.
Maresca maintained that the team would now shift focus to the Premier League and the Conference League as they look to regroup from the setback.
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