Over the course of the season, a growing number of Chelsea fans have called for Nicolas Jackson to be brought back. And to be honest, it is not hard to see why. The Senegal international was often criticised for his finishing and penchant for going down too easily. But nobody can deny his qualities when it came to the buildup side of things. He was capable of holding up the ball, carrying it up the pitch and getting those around him involved. In that phase of the game, he was world-class.
Chelsea have seemed to miss Jackson this season. He has spent the season on loan at Bayern Munich and actually done well to score ten goals while playing the role of backup to Harry Kane.
Bayern Munich won’t be taking up the option to sign him for around €65 million. That means he will return to Chelsea. But will he stay at the club? Or will he look to leave?
Sources close to Nicolas Jackson drop hint about his Chelsea future
According to a report in February from Nizaar Kinsella on BBC Sport, those close to Jackson do not expect him to feature for Chelsea again.
Now, the journalist has provided an update on the situation. His latest report on BBC Sport on the Senegalese striker states that during his previous spell at Chelsea, Jackson’s personality caused friction with Enzo Maresca as well as members of the club hierarchy, who remain in place. The Blues also have Liam Delap, Marc Guiu and Joao Pedro on their squad, while Strasbourg’s Emanuel Emegha is set to join in the summer.
As a result, it looks like, along with Jackson, at least two of those players are likely to be transferred in the summer. It remains to be seen who those will be.
Could appointing Andoni Iraola change things?
Andoni Iraola is believed to be one of the frontrunners to get the Chelsea job. And it is worth mentioning that Bournemouth were one of the clubs very interested in signing Jackson. So, the Spaniard might want the player to stay.
That being said, if Jackson’s relationship with the Chelsea hierarchy is not ideal, it is pretty likely that an exit will happen, no matter who the coach ends up being. Let’s not forget that the club had wanted him to stay in the summer after Delap got injured. The striker’s camp pushed through the loan move to Bayern Munich, only for him to remain a backup option. He is not going to be signed permanently by them either.
On paper, the idea of bringing back Jackson and reintegrating him into the team feels like a good one. He is certainly better than the likes of Delap and Guiu. That being said, it might be a lot more difficult to pull off than some think.
