Introduction
Nicolas Jackson has provided an update on his future at Chelsea. The 23-year-old striker, who joined the Blues from Villarreal for £30.1m in July 2023, hasn’t found the net in the Premier League since December, casting doubt over his future at Stamford Bridge.
He enjoyed a brilliant start to the season, scoring six goals and providing three assists in his first 10 games. Jackson netted three more during the festive period, helping Enzo Maresca’s side climb to second in the table.
By the halfway mark, Chelsea were fourth in the English top-flight, and they looked primed to secure Champions League qualification, too. The Senegal international then failed to score in his next eight games before suffering a hamstring injury, which ruled him out until April.
The west Londoners have been revitalised by Jackson’s return to the front-line, but he’s yet to end his drought in front of goal. With the summer transfer window on the horizon, Chelsea have been heavily linked with numerous strikers, casting doubt over his future.
Now, in an interview with Sky Sports, Jackson was asked whether he can finally call Stamford Bridge ‘home’. The Senegalese star, whose contract doesn’t expire until June 2033, said: “Yeah, a little bit.
“Just because of the weather, it’s still not home, only because of the weather, but I feel good and I’m happy here with the players and everything, so it’s good.”
On the final weeks of the season, Jackson added: “Yeah, it’s exciting because we have a semi-final, we’re trying to fight for top-four and after we’ve got the [Club] World Cup, so we’ll try to fight and be where we want to be.”
Jackson was also quizzed on comments recently made by Maresca. Speaking with reporters this week, the Italian head coach raised eyebrows when he claimed Chelsea can not achieve their targets this season if Palmer and the striker do not start scoring.
“No,” said Maresca. “No, confident because they scored goals. They have scored goals.
“It’s just a moment that they need to turn a little bit that moment. But I said before, Cole has scored 14 goals in 20 Premier League games. So he scored goals.
“Nico was the same, before that injury. Now, unfortunately, Nico was out for two months, so probably – physically – he needs a little bit more. And this is the same for Cole.”
In response to Maresca, Jackson said: “It’s a big responsibility, and we work hard for it, so we just have to keep believing in ourselves that we will do it. I think we will. It’s just moments. You can not be happy your whole life.
“Sometimes you go down. It’s like a mountain with ups and downs in life, so it’s okay.
“So now, maybe, this time is difficult and then the easy time will come.”
Despite Jackson’s misfortunes in front of goal recently, Maresca described the player as his perfect number nine. The Chelsea manager said: “My perfect number nine is exactly Nico Jackson. We already have a number nine.
“It’s not summer now. If we can have a copy of Nico, it’s okay. I’ve said many times, and you can see as well, with Nico we are a better team. Nico is the one we need. Last season, he scored goals without penalties.
“This season he scored goals until he was injured. Now, hopefully, he can score more goals without the penalties. We’re happy with Nico. About next season, it’s not the moment [to talk about transfers].”
