Jackson has found himself in an unknown position at Chelsea. For the past two seasons, he’s been their only real striker option, but now, following the signings of Liam Delap and Joao Pedro, he’s seemingly fallen down the pecking order.
Several reports have suggested that Enzo Maresca’s side are now open to selling the Senegal international this summer as they seek to trim their bloated squad, and he is understood to be open to leaving.
According to BBC journalist Nizaar Kinsella, Man United’s search for a new number nine this summer has led them to Chelsea star Nicolas Jackson, and they’ve held talks with the 24-year-old’s representatives over a potential move.
The United fans might not be too keen, but perhaps they shouldn’t write him off just yet. Here we look at whether Jackson to Old Trafford would be good business or not.
Style of play
It’s fair to say that Jackson is far from the finished article. Inconsistent at best, on a good day, he looks like a world beater, never stopping, deadly in transition and capable of providing the type of magic that wins games out of nothing.
In stark contrast, he can look clumsy, almost like he’s thinking too much about what to do next, snatching at chances, and frustrating his teammates, as proved when Cole Palmer went off on him in Chelsea’s 2-0 Club World Cup win over Fluminense for not squaring the ball.
The signings of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo may indicate Amorim is looking for a different type of striker to Viktor Gyokeres, who was a huge success at Sporting. Cunha and Mbeumo are shot takers, not playmakers, signing a striker that can hold up the ball would make a lot of sense.
That’s what Jackson does best. His interplay with the likes of Palmer has produced some of Chelsea’s best moments over the past two seasons. If he has Cunha and Mbeumo playing off him just behind, his link up play could be incredibly hard to defend.
Can he handle the expectations of Man United?
The biggest reason United’s current crop of strikers have struggled so much is the immense amount of expectation heaped upon them. Despite recent results, United still have this “we’re Man United” mentality that many can’t cope with.
Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zikzee both joined the club from smaller Italian sides, they’ve never had to deal with the type of pressure that comes with playing for an elite Premier League side.
Jackson has been at Chelsea for two years now. He was there when they were bad and he’s still there now they’re pretty good again. He’s had to play through a spectrum of emotions, at a club that is transitioning under new owners and under a manager with a new system. Sound familiar?
Signing a player with that unique type of experience would be a step up from what they currently have, at least from a mental perspective. United also lack proven winners, something Jackson now has in his locker after winning the Europa Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup, regardless of how those competitions are perceived.
Verdict
It may not be glamourous, it may not look great on the next edition of EA Sports FC, but tactically, Jackson to United makes a lot of sense. His ability to brining in other attackers could work wonders with Cunha and Mbeumo in Amorim’s 3-4-3 system.
The only potential deal-breaker should be the fee. United aren’t exactly known for being smart with their money, and advertising their transfer business to the whole world doesn’t make things any easier.
If United are able to sign Jackson, a relatively young striker with plenty of room to improve who has scored ten or more Premier League goals in his two seasons in England for £40-£50 million, it would be worth doing.