{"id":1433501,"date":"2026-02-17T13:07:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T13:07:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?post_type=features&#038;p=1433501"},"modified":"2026-02-17T13:07:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T13:07:12","slug":"tactical-analysis-nicolas-jackson-chelsea-return","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-nicolas-jackson-chelsea-return\/","title":{"rendered":"Chelsea analysis: Striker selection headache grows as Nicolas Jackson Chelsea reunion looms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\u2018I\u2019m sorry Nic Jackson, I am for real.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">OK, so we paraphrased Outkast. However, the sentiment rings true. Nicolas Jackson was, at one stage, the butt of jokes. The Senegal international moved to Chelsea in 2023 and enjoyed a so-so debut campaign. Indeed, he scored 12 goals and provided five assists. Consistency, though, wasn&#8217;t his forte. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><h2>In this article, we&#8217;ll cover:<\/h2><ul><li><a href=\"#h-jackson-will-return-to-chelsea\" data-level=\"3\">Jackson will return to Chelsea<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-kane-and-diaz-form-limited-minutes\" data-level=\"3\">Kane and Diaz form limited minutes<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-competition-for-delap-and-pedro\" data-level=\"3\">Competition for Delap and Pedro?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-jackson-outperforming-current-chelsea-pair\" data-level=\"3\">Jackson outperforming current Chelsea pair<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The following year, he bagged 10 goals and laid on five assists. It wasn\u2019t a great haul, yet Jackson was vital as Chelsea won the UEFA Conference League. Additionally, few expected the 24-year-old to depart for pastures new. A falling out with then-Blues boss Enzo Maresca spelt the beginning of the temporary end for the forward in west London.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-jackson-will-return-to-chelsea\">Jackson will return to Chelsea<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As such, Jackson secured a loan switch to Bayern Munich last September. It was a relatively left-field move. Jackson was never going to be first choice for the Bundesliga giants. Indeed, he had a certain Harry Kane ahead of him in the pecking order. When fit, Kane plays; no ifs, no buts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jackson\u2019s move to Bayern will be made permanent if he plays 40 games. The club have already confirmed that won\u2019t happen. \u201cThere will definitely not be a permanent contract. That only happens if he plays 40 games from the start, it will never happen,\u201d honorary club president Uli Hoeness said in September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even so, head coach Vincent Kompany has been complimentary of Jackson during his time in Germany. \u201cI have a very positive impression of Nicolas,\u201d Kompany said in December. \u201cHe\u2019s helped us a lot &#8211; his goals-per-minute ratio is good. Of course, with Harry Kane up front, you have a bit of competition, and that\u2019s part of the game.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-kane-and-diaz-form-limited-minutes\">Kane and Diaz form limited minutes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Six goal contributions &#8211; five goals and one assist &#8211; across 638 minutes of league and European action isn\u2019t to be scoffed at. The issue, as Kompany alluded to, is that he has Kane ahead of him in the pecking order. Additionally, Bayern are an elite team with world class talent across every position.<\/p>\n\n\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2><strong>Bet \u00a310 &amp; Get \u00a330 in Free Bets with Bet365<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p>Not signed up to bet365 yet? Here's how to claim one of the best bookmaker welcome offers around...\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><strong>Open an account (<a href=\"\/en\/go\/bet365?q=gb-all-con-wof-s-spo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here's a link<\/a>)<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<li><strong>Make a qualifying deposit of between \u00a35* and \u00a310*<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<li><strong>Claim the offer to receive three times your deposit in 'Free Bets'.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<li><strong>To release your 'Free Bets', place qualifying bets to the value of your qualifying deposit and allow those bets to settle.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<li><strong>Your 'Free Bets' will become available shortly after your qualifying bets have settled<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<li><strong>To use your 'Free Bets', select 'Use bet credits' in the bet slip.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><a href=\"\/en\/go\/bet365?q=gb-all-con-wof-s-spo\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1422493 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2022\/04\/06113042\/image-141-1024x446.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"446\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2022\/04\/06113042\/image-141-1024x446.png 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2022\/04\/06113042\/image-141-300x131.png 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2022\/04\/06113042\/image-141-768x335.png 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2022\/04\/06113042\/image-141-400x174.png 400w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2022\/04\/06113042\/image-141-459x200.png 459w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2022\/04\/06113042\/image-141-138x60.png 138w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2022\/04\/06113042\/image-141-150x65.png 150w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2022\/04\/06113042\/image-141-40x17.png 40w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2022\/04\/06113042\/image-141.png 1537w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\r\n<p><em>Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&amp;Cs apply.<\/em><\/p>\r\n<hr \/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jackson is the modern-day forward in that he likes to drift across the frontline. Routinely moving to the left, however, clogs up space down the flank, notably limiting summer signing Luis Diaz. The Colombian has been a revelation since his move to Bayern. He\u2019s one of only two players to hit double figures for both goals (13) and assists (10) in the Bundesliga this season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This inclination to pull to the left minimises Diaz\u2019s influence. The former Liverpool was nowhere near as effective in league games Jackson has featured in from the outset. It\u2019s another reason why Jackson has been restricted to just five Bundesliga starts this season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And combined with the emergence of Lennart Karl, the return of Jamal Musiala and Serge Gnabry\u2019s new contract, Jackson\u2019s playing time has been limited further. As such, Jackson will return to Chelsea in the summer, and potentially have a second chance to consolidate a role for the Blues. It\u2019s a return that fans will welcome with open arms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-competition-for-delap-and-pedro\">Competition for Delap and Pedro?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Striker has been a problematic position for the Blues this season. Liam Delap and Joao Pedro both signed from Ipswich and Brighton, respectively, last summer. Their signings contributed towards Jackson&#8217;s departure for Bayern. However, the former has struggled in his opening season at Stamford Bridge. Injuries haven\u2019t helped Delap, even then; he\u2019s managed just three goals across 30 competitive appearances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To some, Pedro is better suited as a second striker. Even so, Jackson\u2019s impending return presents Liam Rosenior with a selection headache.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jackson fell out with Maresca, but the appointment of Rosenior gives the AFCON winner a reprieve at Stamford Bridge. And if we go on the league stats of Delap, Pedro and Jackson this season using the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/comparison-matrix\/\">Comparison <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/comparison-matrix\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">M<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/comparison-matrix\/\">atrix<\/a>, then the latter warrants another opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-jackson-outperforming-current-chelsea-pair\">Jackson outperforming current Chelsea pair<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Admittedly, Jackson currently plays for a team that dominates their league, yet even so; he\u2019s top for touches in the opposition box (7.7), shots (2.7), shot accuracy (61.54%), goals (0.7) and chances created per 90 (2.3) of the three forwards. He\u2019s well versed in the demands that come with playing for Chelsea in a 4-2-3-1 setup. The inclination to drift to the left will make up for the club\u2019s shortcomings down this flank. It\u2019s fair to say that Alejandro Garnacho is not of the same level as Diaz.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class='vccm vccm-compare'data-compare=\"zknfubY3JIW7o4u1_yALk\" data-show-sponsor=\"false\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chelsea fans should bare witness to an intriguing striker battle next season. Emmanuel Emegha will arrive in the summer, and he\u2019s another Rosenior knows from their time at Strasbourg together, meaning Chelsea will, in theory, have four forwards competing for one spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Combined with links with the likes of Julian Alvarez, Igor Thiago and Emegha\u2019s Strasbourg teammate, Joaquin Panichelli, it could be a summer of change on the Blues frontline. However, it\u2019s a familiar face that may be the best option for Chelsea. Nothing beats the classics, after all.<\/p>\n\n\n<h3><strong>Read more:<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/\"><strong>Latest football news<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/football-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Football betting tips<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/betting-sites\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Best betting sites<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/betting-sites\/best-free-bet-offers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Best free bet offers<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/football-tips\/accumulator\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Football accumulator tips<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\n\n\n    <div class=\"sq-articles-list\">\n                <div class=\"sq-cards\">\n                                        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href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/jamie-vardy-next-club-2026-drwss\/\" class=\"sq-thumbnail\">\n                                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/08\/21181833\/VardyCremonese210826_ID3E38XP4-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/>                            <\/a>\n                        <\/div>\n                                        <div class=\"sq-card__content\">\n                        <div class=\"sq-card__meta\">\n                            <span class=\"sq-card__label\">Features<\/span>\n                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/jamie-vardy-next-club-2026-drwss\/\" class=\"sq-card__title\">\n                                <h2 class=\"sq-card__title-text\">\n                                    Dream, realistic, wildcard, Squawka Suggests: Where could Jamie Vardy go next?                                <\/h2>\n                            <\/a>\n                        <\/div>\n                        <div class=\"sq-card__excerpt\">\n                                                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/author\/guilhermemirra\/\" class=\"sq-card__link\">\n                                    Guilherme Mirra                                <\/a>\n                                                        <time class=\"sq-card__label\">4 days ago<\/time>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/article>\n                                            <article class=\"sq-card\">\n                                            <div class=\"sq-card__thumbnail\">\n                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/post-match-analysis-arsenal-vs-coventry-city-21-08-26\/\" class=\"sq-thumbnail\">\n                                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/08\/21215146\/ArsenalCoventry210826_ID3FAWX1T-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/>                            <\/a>\n                        <\/div>\n                                        <div class=\"sq-card__content\">\n                        <div class=\"sq-card__meta\">\n                            <span class=\"sq-card__label\">Features<\/span>\n                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/post-match-analysis-arsenal-vs-coventry-city-21-08-26\/\" class=\"sq-card__title\">\n                                <h2 class=\"sq-card__title-text\">\n                                    Arsenal vs Coventry City stats and analysis: How Gunners handed Sky Blues &#8216;welcome to the Premier League&#8217; moment                                <\/h2>\n                            <\/a>\n                        <\/div>\n                        <div class=\"sq-card__excerpt\">\n                                                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/author\/guilhermemirra\/\" class=\"sq-card__link\">\n                                    Guilherme Mirra                                <\/a>\n                                                        <time class=\"sq-card__label\">4 days ago<\/time>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/article>\n                    <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u2018I\u2019m sorry Nic Jackson, I am for real.\u2019 OK, so we paraphrased Outkast. However, the sentiment rings true. Nicolas Jackson was, at one stage, the butt of jokes. The Senegal international moved to Chelsea in 2023 and enjoyed a so-so debut campaign. Indeed, he scored 12 goals and provided five assists. Consistency, though, wasn&#8217;t his&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3564,"featured_media":1433502,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"","_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"We analyse Jackson's Bayern loan spell, compare him to Delap and Pedro, and assess what it means for the Blues next season.","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"features-category":[],"squawka-category":[],"class_list":["post-1433501","features","type-features","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"external_featured_image_url":"","hide_featured_image_pattern":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.0 (Yoast SEO v28.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Chelsea analysis: Striker selection headache grows as Nicolas Jackson Chelsea reunion looms | Squawka | EN<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We analyse Jackson&#039;s Bayern loan spell, compare him to Delap and Pedro, and assess what it means for the Blues next season.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-nicolas-jackson-chelsea-return\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Chelsea analysis: Striker selection headache grows as Nicolas Jackson Chelsea reunion looms\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"We analyse Jackson&#039;s Bayern loan spell, compare him to Delap and Pedro, and assess what it means for the Blues next season.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-nicolas-jackson-chelsea-return\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Squawka | EN\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" 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EINDHOVEN, NETHERLANDS - JANUARY 28: Nicolas Jackson of FC Bayern Munich looks on during the UEFA Champions League 2025\\\/26 League Phase MD8 match between PSV Eindhoven and FC Bayern Munich at Philips Stadion on January 28, 2026 in Eindhoven, Netherlands. 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EINDHOVEN, NETHERLANDS - JANUARY 28: Nicolas Jackson of FC Bayern Munich looks on during the UEFA Champions League 2025\/26 League Phase MD8 match between PSV Eindhoven and FC Bayern Munich at Philips Stadion on January 28, 2026 in Eindhoven, Netherlands. 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