£32m star has done just enough to warrant another season in Chelsea XI

Nioclas Jackson has proved why he should continue to start in the Chelsea XI

Since arriving at Chelsea for £32m with little expectation, Nicolas Jackson has done a satisfactory job at the club to remain Mauricio Pochettino’s preferred striker in next season’s starting lineup. The forward has come from the overseas league, and being in his early 20s, it was always going to be challenging to meet Premier League requirements.

Chelsea’s last-season goalscoring woes saw the Blues bring in another inexperienced striker, with fans discontent as they hoped the Blues would sign a seasoned forward who could guarantee regular goals. This saw the 22-year-old didn’t meet with much hype.

However, Jackson’s goals this season speak volumes, as the striker’s 11^th Premier League goal in Chelsea’s 2-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur saw him eclipse Didier Drogba’s first-season goal tally. With a few matches still to go, the Senegalese can at least reach the 15-goal mark.

He has been excellent, but it’s evident there is more room for development, and this is his first season where he has already shown that he boasts plenty of attributes to become one of the best strikers in Europe. All he needs is the trust and backing of the fans for his upcoming campaign.

Jackson’s primary shortcoming will be improving his finishing because, in many games, he has performed so woefully that he has failed to find the back of the net while confronting the custodian one-on-one, frustrating the supporters. The main issue with him is that it appears he is taking too many touches rather than seizing the opportunity.

However, Jackson has proven this season that he is a capable striker; he has all the tools a centre-forward needs, including the ability to control the ball, outmuscle opponents, and dominate the box. Although Jackson still needs to work on his finishing, the Blues may try to find a new centre-forward for the upcoming campaign, giving Jackson additional competitors for a spot in the starting lineup.

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Jackson’s talent is well known to Chelsea, and they won’t allow it to go to waste because they want to see him grow. If he faces competition for the starting position, he will get better because he will want to show his worth when given the opportunity. It will be interesting to see if the club signs an experienced No. 9; if not, Jackson should be our starting striker.