Chelsea’s attacking options have taken a hit following Nicolas Jackson’s injury, which has ruled him out until April.
The striker suffered a hamstring injury in the 2-1 victory over West Ham and initially, the club remained hopeful that he could return in time for the clash against Brighton.
However, after further scans on Wednesday confirmed the severity of the issue, Jackson is now set to miss a crucial run of fixtures, including games against Brighton, Aston Villa, Southampton, Leicester, Arsenal, and both legs of Chelsea’s Europa Conference League last-16 tie.
Enzo Maresca has remained cautious in his approach to finding a replacement, previously stating:
“We can find some different solutions. At the moment, we didn’t decide anything because we are still waiting for Nico and from there, we will see different options.”
4 Chelsea Players Who Could Replace Nicolas Jackson
With the winter transfer window closed Chelsea must now look within their squad to fill the void. Here’s a look at four potential replacements.
1. Christopher Nkunku
Nkunku was trusted to lead the line in Jackson’s absence against Brighton but struggled to impose himself in the 2-1 defeat. While he has impressed in the Europa Conference League, his performances in the Premier League have been inconsistent. A key reason for this is his natural playing style, which sees him drop deep rather than stay in central positions to finish off chances.
Maresca himself acknowledged this, saying:
“I don’t think Nkunku is a striker. His best position is number 10.”
Nkunku’s ability to find space and link up play makes him more suited to a deeper role, and using him as a lone striker might not maximize his strengths. However, given the lack of available options, he remains one of the primary candidates to step in.
2. Cole Palmer
After Nkunku, Palmer appears to be the likeliest option. If Nkunku’s struggles up front continue, Maresca may consider swapping their roles—allowing Nkunku to play as a No. 10 while pushing Palmer further forward.
Palmer has already displayed his versatility and intelligence in attack, and Maresca has previously used him as a false nine during their time together in Manchester City’s youth setup.
“I had Cole playing as a nine in the past [at Man City],” Maresca stated, hinting that he could be trusted in that role again.
Although primarily used as an attacking midfielder or winger, Palmer’s composure in front of goal and technical ability could make him an effective stopgap solution while Jackson remains sidelined.
