‘He’s not the answer’ – Another ex-Chelsea midfielder warns Enzo Maresca to replace Nicolas Jackson as Chelsea’s main striker

Nicolas Jackson
Photo: Harry Murphy – Danehouse/Getty Images

Enzo Maresca has been warned that Nicolas Jackson may not be the long-term solution to Chelsea’s striker problems if the club hopes to compete for major trophies.

The 23-year-old Senegalese forward provided an assist for Cole Palmer’s opening goal in Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on Tuesday night. However, Jackson’s recent struggles in front of goal continued as he failed to score, striking the post and missing key chances.

Former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley, speaking to ESPN, believes Jackson has exceeded expectations but is not the calibre of striker needed for a title-challenging team:

“There’s been more good than bad from Nicolas Jackson this season. Ultimately, I think he’s a player, a bit like Kai Havertz at Arsenal, who would be good at coming off the bench or playing in cup games.”

Burley stressed the importance of signing a top-class No. 9, suggesting that Jackson could serve as a rotational player instead:

“You need a top No. 9 and then you have him on the side. He’s having a decent season, but I’m sure Enzo Maresca will need to address that position among others.”

Despite his criticism, Burley acknowledged Jackson’s progress this season:

“I’ve given Jackson a lot of credit because I didn’t even think he had it in him to produce the performances he has so far this season. He’s surpassed most people’s expectations.”

However, he cautioned against overestimating Jackson’s impact: “That doesn’t mean he’s the second coming of Drogba and he’s going to be the answer. But that’s what they have at the moment.”

Burley also raised doubts about Christopher Nkunku’s ability to fill the No. 9 role:

“Maybe at one point they thought Christopher Nkunku was going to be that guy, but that doesn’t look like the case.”

As Chelsea aim to compete for silverware, Burley concluded that the club needs to prioritise signing a world-class striker:

He concluded: “Most of these teams challenging for titles have had someone up front who is different gravy, while Nicolas Jackson is just okay. He has his moments, but we will see more of those misses than we will of the really good Nico Jackson.”