December 2nd 2024.
Former Manchester United and England defender, Gary Neville, has shared his belief that Nicolas Jackson's impressive performance has caused Chelsea to change their transfer plans. Despite contributing 17 goals in all competitions during his first season at Stamford Bridge, Jackson faced heavy criticism and was deemed erratic in his finishing by several pundits. Many suggested that Chelsea needed to sign a new striker to replace the Senegal star.
Neville himself was among those who urged Chelsea to enter the transfer market and utilize Jackson as a backup, but he now admits that the 23-year-old's form this season has changed his mind. Jackson scored his eighth Premier League goal on Sunday, helping Enzo Maresca's side secure a 3-0 victory over Aston Villa and solidify their position in the top four.
Chelsea's unexpected success this season, despite being predicted to struggle, has even raised hopes of a surprise title challenge. However, Neville believes that this is beyond the Blues, who are currently level on points with Arsenal and nine points behind runaway leaders Liverpool.
"It feels too early for Chelsea," Neville stated on his Sky Sports podcast. "That's why I don't put them on the same level as Arsenal, even though they have the same number of points. It just doesn't feel like Chelsea will go on and win the title. I still think it will be Arsenal if anyone catches up to Liverpool."
He continued, "But Chelsea is having a fantastic season. Maresca has brought stability to the club, something that has been hard to find in recent years. So, well done to them today, I watched bits of their game against Aston Villa. The goal by Cole Palmer was absolutely brilliant, and Jackson's performance was wonderful."
Neville expressed his happiness for Jackson, stating that he never believed the striker was the problem. He initially thought that Chelsea might need to sign another forward, but he saw Jackson as a strong second striker. "If you had a number nine like Diego Costa and Jackson as your substitute, you would think what a great striker he is," he said.
However, Jackson's performance has now made Neville contemplate whether the young striker could potentially be the first-choice striker for Chelsea. "He's now pushing to the point where you think, 'Do we actually need that first striker? Could he be that first striker?'" Neville pondered.
Despite Jackson's erratic and mistake-prone performance last year, Neville has always had a soft spot for him. He now sees a solid and formidable presence on the pitch, making him a nightmare for opposing central defenders. Neville also commended Maresca for bringing a sense of calmness to the club, which has been lacking in the past few seasons.
"For the first time in a while, it feels like Chelsea has settled down. So, well done to Maresca and well done to the players. The owners will also feel a little more at ease at this moment," Neville concluded. However, he still doesn't believe that Chelsea is in the title race and doesn't sense any urgency from the team to compete for the top spot.
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