Former Nigeria midfielder and Chelsea’s Africa talent manager, Seyi Olofinjana, has thrown his weight behind Senegalese striker, Nickolas Jackson, to continue leading the line for the Blues despite his recent dry run at the club, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Jackson has failed to score in his last eight matches, with his last goal coming in their 2-1 win against Brentford last December.
While he is yet to score a goal this year, the 23-year-old has bagged two assists, and Olofinjana believes that is one of the attributes that set him apart at Stamford Bridge, having scored nine goals plus five assists in 23 Premier League games this season.
“Maresca gets more from Jackson than Nkunku. Nkunku might look a little bit better, but will he hold up the ball the way Jackson does? Then Jackson’s work rate as well which is unbelievable,” Olofinjana said while featuring on SuperSport’s Monday Night Football.
When asked about whether the club were thinking of replacing the Senegalese, Olofinjana said, “Why would that be the case? I think there is an expectation here in terms of what Jackson should and shouldn’t be doing. To the football club and Maresca’s crew, everybody expects him to score 25 goals, but if he scores 10 and allows other players to chip in, then I’m happy. Expectations from the outside may be different from within.
“Is Jackson better than what he was last season? Yes, he is.
Five years ago, he was playing in Africa and came to Chelsea from Spain. So, for Jackson to be doing what he is doing right now, I think the expectations we have of him are a little bit higher. He’s going to be a fantastic player,” the former Super Eagles midfielder added.
Jackson is in his second season at Stamford Bridge after joining them from Villareal. He scored 14 goals plus five assists in his first season in the EPL before Olofinjana was brought into the club’s African talent development hierarchy in June 2024.
The 44-year-old Olofinjana also played in the EPL for Stoke City and Hull City between 2008 and 2010, scoring three goals in 35 games across the two seasons.
