Of all Chelsea’s signings this summer, it is arguably Nicolas Jackson who the Stamford Bridge faithful have taken to the most in the early stages of the 2023-24 season. The Senegal forward arrived in west London without much of a reputation in European football, but he is very quickly winning over his new fanbase and receiving deserved plaudits from pundits for his performances.
The 22-year-old made his breakthrough at Villarreal last season, scoring 12 times in 26 La Liga games for the Yellow Submarine, and some avid followers of the Premier League might remember that Jackson was close to signing for Bournemouth back in January before failing a medical at the Vitality Stadium due to a hamstring issue — which the Cherries’ new owner Bill Foley has since rued as a mistake.
Therefore, the signing isn’t one that initially had Chelsea fans excited and some might have even questioned what his involvement in the first team would be this season. However, after some eye-catching performances in pre-season — scoring against Brighton and Hove Albion and Newcastle United as the Blues won the inaugural Premier League Summer Series — and a lengthy injury sustained by Christoper Nkunku, it became apparent Jackson would be leading the line.
He has done so with great aplomb thus far as well, instantly impressing on his Premier League debut against Liverpool while still proving to be one of Chelsea’s best players in the Blues’ disappointing 3-1 defeat to West Ham United at the London Stadium on matchday two. Having been knocking on the door in the opening games, the breakthrough finally came for Jackson in his side’s comfortable 3-0 win over Luton Town.
There’s no doubt that the rejuvenated Raheem Sterling was the star of the show at Stamford Bridge, brilliantly weaving around the Hatters’ defenders with ease to open the scoring before netting again to make it 2-0 and give bettors who bet on football and backed Chelsea to win some breathing room.
But it was Jackson’s strike that felt the biggest of the night, as the 22-year-old turned home Sterling’s low cross to score his first goal in a Chelsea shirt.
When the Senegal international was subbed minutes later, he left the pitch to a roaring ovation from the Chelsea fans. They have watched many strikers try to fill the boots of former talisman Didier Drogba and fail over the last decade or so, but — without getting too far ahead of themselves — some might be starting to believe that they finally have their answer in the goalscoring department.
Much of Mauricio Pochettino’s early messages to Chelsea fans is to have patience in the process, and that was echoed again in Jackson’s case after his goal against Luton. “It was really important,” Pochettino said. “He is a young player who has come from a different league, and to adapt to the Premier is difficult, but the quality is there.
“We don’t need to ask him to run, to press, to help the team when we don’t have the ball, because that’s his quality. And then the quality is amazing in his feet. The capacity to run with the ball, to link with his team, and to score goals.
“He is going to score, it’s only a matter of time. No doubt, he can be one of the greatest strikers in the Premier League, with time.”
While the need to allow time is stressed, that is still a very bold statement from Pochettino. Jackson has shown the quality to be a top striker in Europe, but we need to see it from him for an extended period of time before we get too far ahead of ourselves.