£32m Chelsea signing backed to be a £150m player

Nicolas Jackson
Photo: Eddie Keogh/Getty Images

Nicolas Jackson has been earning rave reviews after a recent turn in form.

The 23-year-old joined Chelsea in a £32m deal from Villarreal last year, and scored 14 goals in his first season in the Premier League. Nevertheless, Jackson was often criticised for missing chances.

Jackson has stepped up a gear after an impressive start to the new season, with four goals in five Premier League matches so far.

Former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has hailed Nicolas Jackson, and has backed him to do great for Chelsea.

Hasselbaink believes Jackson can become one of the world’s best strikers at Chelsea, and backed him to become a £150m player with time.

“I like Nicolas Jackson a lot,” Hasselbaink told Genting Casino.

“Not just because he’s playing at Chelsea, but because he causes defenders so much trouble.

“He scored fourteen goals in the Premier League last season. That’s not a bad return in your first season in the Premier League. A lot of the goals he scored were in 3-0, 4-0 games, so the challenge to him is to score goals when your team really needs you – be the difference-maker – and that is what he is starting to do this season. That is when a striker really earns his money, the games where the pressure is on your shoulders to win your team the game. I want to see if he can handle that pressure every week.

“He’s progressing really well. I think he’s coming along nicely in his development as a top, top striker.

“Nicolas Jackson and Erling Haaland are similar ages. The major difference is, Haaland has a lot more top-level experience in terms of Champions League football. He’s been playing at that level since he burst onto the scene playing for Salzburg and has stayed there. Jackson hasn’t done that.

“That is what Jackson needs to do to be considered one of the best strikers in the world. He needs to be decisive on the pitch and he needs to score goals regularly at the highest level in the game. It’s a big challenge for him, but he has the potential to get there.

“If Jackson fulfils his potential, he will be a £150 million player. I’m convinced of that.

“He’s a player that has the potential to be able to do everything. He can play outside the box. He can play with the ball at his feet, those are things that Erling Haaland can’t really do.

“The only thing that Jackson needs to understand is, when he gets involved in the build-up, that game outside the box, sometimes he can try and do too many things. He doesn’t have to do that.

“Sometimes the best way to get in behind is a simple one-two, a give and go. That was the type of goal he scored first against West Ham; take the ball, play it back to the midfielder and go into the space. When the midfielder can find him, he’s in one-against-one with the goalkeeper. Jackson has the potential to become one of the best strikers in the world.”