Nicolas Jackson – Chelsea’s Unique No.9: If He Leaves, Where Should He Go Next?

 

Nicolas Jackson could be a huge bargain that could yield incredible results for any team patient enough to give him a chance.

It can be said that Nicolas Jackson is still a controversial name in the center forward position in the Premier League.

At his best, the 24-year-old is a potent centre-forward: relentless on the move, deadly on the counter-attack, and capable of turning an innocuous pass into a goal. But on an off-day, Jackson can look awkward and untidy – the type of striker who can lose his cool when given a chance to score.

Chelsea's summer signings of Liam Delap and Joao Pedro may have led many to believe they were ready to part ways with Nicolas Jackson, but those within the club remain confident in the striker's ability.

Although Chelsea's attack is showing signs of becoming cramped, Jackson's sharp counter-attacking ability is a rare weapon, a different attacking option that coach Enzo Maresca can take advantage of to deal with the diverse challenges in the Premier League.

Jackson has a sharp offensive ability.

There are a number of clubs currently on the lookout for a centre-forward, including Manchester United and Newcastle United. Aston Villa could also be in the market if Ollie Watkins leaves the club this summer. So what is Nicolas Jackson’s skill set, and what does he bring to the clubs who are looking at him?

When looking back at Jackson’s first two seasons in England, it’s worth remembering that he was still relatively inexperienced at the top level. Before Chelsea came knocking, the striker had started just 16 La Liga games for Villarreal – spending most of that season struggling to find a starting place before exploding with nine goals in the final eight games.

In the big picture, Jackson still has plenty of time to improve. His time at Chelsea has been a steep learning curve, but the Senegalese striker has shown no signs of slowing down in the face of such a big change. He has adapted, confidently faced off against seasoned Premier League defenders and has made his mark with 34 goal contributions - an impressive tally in the current climate.

Jackson's adaptation to his new surroundings has been impressive, and that's what has attracted a number of potential clubs - they believe they can further exploit his potential by allowing him to continue to use his speed on the counter-attack. In that sense, Newcastle's interest is understandable. Last season, they were second only to Liverpool in expected goals (xG) from counter-attacks.

According to advanced data provider Footovision, Jackson is the player with the most counter-attacks by dribbling in the tournament. He has the ability to penetrate opposing defences with powerful and decisive dribbles, often leading counter-attacks himself.

Manager Eddie Howe saw this first-hand when he took Newcastle to Stamford Bridge in October. In the situation below, Jackson dropped deep to create a pass for goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. With the opposition marking him closely, Jackson quickly saw the opportunity to turn away from the centre-back, then sprinted into the middle of the pitch. He finished the move with a pass for Noni Madueke to cut inside and finish.

With the opponent marking him closely, Jackson quickly saw the opportunity to turn and escape from the opposing centre-back.

 Then immediately accelerated to the middle of the field.

He finished the dribble with a good pass for Noni Madueke to cut inside and finish.

With his back to goal in his own half, it took Jackson less than six seconds to turn a clearance pass into a scoring opportunity.

Another example from the Bournemouth game. Jackson moves into a similar position to receive the ball, but this time he is marked much more closely by Dean Huijsen. The broadcast cuts out, and when the cameras come back, the defender is desperately trying to pull Jackson back. David Brooks also tries to tackle him, but ends up on the ground himself, and Jackson sprints into the box and fires a powerful shot that hits the left post.

Jackson is also a tireless worker off the ball, constantly running to stretch opposition defences and find ways to break through. Last season in the Premier League, he was second only to Ollie Watkins for runs to beat the offside trap (per 30 minutes of possession), which partly explains why he has come to the attention of the Villa Park staff.

Jackson is not only notable for his number of runs, but also for his speed and determination in each movement. According to SkillCorner's definition, he has made 60 sprints behind the opposition defence - meaning runs without the ball at a speed of 25km/h or more - nine times more than any other player in the Premier League.

Many of these bursts of speed, as shown in the highlight below, have led directly to shots for the home team within 10 seconds. It also highlights the quiet sacrifice in Jackson's play: a constant willingness to move into space, breaking from the back to pull the team up and create space behind the opposition's high-pressing defence.

The graph shows Nicolas Jackson's high-speed sprints after breaking the offside trap and moving behind the opposition defence in the 2024-25 Premier League.

One example is against Aston Villa, where Jackson quickly exploited the space left by the opposition after losing possession. He immediately sprinted wide when the ball was passed to Marc Cucurella, creating a valuable way out of the pressing situation for his team. The pass was difficult to control, and although Jackson then made a foul on Ezri Konsa at the end of the situation, he almost created a valuable way out of the pressing situation for Chelsea with his fierce sprinting and bulldozer-like play down the flank.

Jackson doesn't always play smoothly, sometimes his handling is quite clumsy, rushing in too hard or rushing into situations too early, but given enough opportunities to adjust, the devastation he can create is undeniable.

The bar chart below illustrates the percentage of runs to beat the offside trap that actually received a pass from a teammate last season. The data suggests that Newcastle may be the team that best utilises Jackson’s off-the-ball movement. They are a direct team, willing to use Jackson’s running and put other quality attackers in the box around him effectively. The addition of Jackson, combined with the pace of Anthony Elanga, would greatly enhance their counter-attacking ability.

The bar chart below illustrates the percentage of runs that break the offside trap that actually receive a pass from a teammate. 

All of these qualities will certainly be on the radar of Manchester United, who are looking for a physical centre-forward who can run intelligently into the space behind the defence. The Red Devils are also desperate for a striker who can be a regular in the box and create truly dangerous chances, especially as they are third from bottom in terms of shot percentage inside the box in 2024-25.

Jackson is one of the strikers on Manchester United's radar, but it is still unclear which name the Old Trafford team will prioritize, especially when they need to sell players before being able to recruit more.

Jackson’s shot map since joining Chelsea shows him to be a constant threat in front of goal. With an expected goal (xG) per shot of 0.2 – the fifth highest in the Premier League over that period – Jackson has shown an ability to find his shooting position extremely effectively. In addition, only six players have had more shots from the six-yard box than him.

Jackson's shooting map since joining Chelsea.

That said, there are still some concerns about Jackson’s ability to finish cleanly and accurately, especially when he has to shoot at high speed or when the ball is played to his left foot. Of his 24 Premier League goals, only four have come with his weaker foot, with two of them being simple tap-ins into an open goal. Jackson often struggles with balance, lacks control and fails to generate enough power when attempting to shoot with his left foot.

The situation against Brentford was a perfect example of how sharp Jackson was thanks to his quick movement. As soon as the opposition’s midfield was breached by a pass to Enzo Fernandez, Jackson immediately sprinted forward, exploiting the space behind the defence to attack. From there, the centre-forward did everything almost perfectly – sprinting to meet the through ball, controlling the ball neatly, then beating the goalkeeper – but when it came time to swing his foot in to finish, he fumbled. Jackson took too long to adjust the ball, didn’t really have the confidence to turn his foot to shoot, and ended up hitting the ball right into the path of the defenders rushing to block.

When shooting with his stronger foot, Jackson often unleashes powerful shots. Although his technique is sometimes inconsistent, he sometimes leans back after shooting, or approaches the ball at an angle that is not ideal to adjust his stance, it is his ability to move strongly and boldly that allows him to continuously create chances, thereby maintaining an impressive scoring rate.

The constant chaos surrounding Jackson sometimes leads to moments of unbelievable bad luck. But when he really gets into form, as he did when he opened the scoring against Everton in April, Jackson becomes a formidable striker capable of disturbing any defence.

Premier League rivals are likely to have to pay a hefty fee to sign Jackson. While he is not a complete 'killer' at the highest level, he has the ability to create breakthroughs with an intensity and tenacity that few players in the world can match.

For any team patient enough to give him a chance, Nicolas Jackson could be a great bargain - as his potential to explode in the future is not to be underestimated.