Paul Merson has warned Chelsea that they may live to regret putting Nicolas Jackson up for sale, with both Aston Villa and Newcastle exploring a transfer move for the striker this summer.
Jackson, 24, has blown hot and cold across his two-year spell with Chelsea – following £32million switch from Villarreal – and now finds himself on the periphery, searching for a new club.
While there have been glimpses of undoubted quality throughout Jackson’s stay in west London, the forward’s temperament has often been questioned and he has faced repeated criticism from fans for a lack of composure in front of goal.
The addition of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Estevao and Jamie Gittens across a busy transfer window at Stamford Bridge only raised further questions surrounding Jackson’s standing under Maresca.
Chelsea’s hierarchy had reportedly slapped an eye-watering asking price of £80m asking price on Jackson at the start of the summer, telling the Senegalese he could leave should he find a suitor willing to stump up the required cash.
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But the Club World Cup winners have slashed their valuation down to £65m, alerting both Villa and Newcastle to a potential agreement – with both clubs scouring the market for attacking reinforcements before the deadline.
It’s understood Villa Park is the most likely destination for Jackson and Unai Emery is pushing for a deal to be struck after losing Leon Bailey and Jacob Ramsey to Roma and Newcastle respectively in recent days.
‘I like him. He’s a bit messy and sometimes he’ll go through and his touch will be poor, but I’d love to play with him,’ Merson – a lifelong Chelsea fan – told Sky Sports News when quizzed on the rumours surrounding Jackson.
‘The position I used to play, I love players like that who want to run that way [forwards]. They open the game up.
‘If he can get to Aston Villa or a Newcastle, I’d buy him all day long. I would buy him.
‘Newcastle have got a lot of pace and then you can get Bruno [Guimaraes] and [Sandro] Tonali, people like that, on the ball. He’s willing, I like him Even though he’s a little bit messy.’
Merson is ‘pretty shocked’ that Chelsea appear so ready and willing to let Jackson depart for a direct Premier League rival.
According to Merson, the Blues are leaving themselves open to the possibility of Jackson returning with a point to prove in the future.
‘He needs a little bit more coaching, but he’s got the potential… I don’t think there would be too many centre-backs going, “That was easy”, because he gives you a hard time and he’s always willing to run,’ the ex-Arsenal, Villa and England star added.
‘I’m pretty shocked with Chelsea. I thought he made Palmer and Palmer made Jackson, I thought they worked as a real pair and stretched the game and it got Palmer on the ball and let him do his stuff.
‘I know we’re only one game in but, all of a sudden, Palmer’s going further and further back to get the ball and you don’t want him there. You want him around the box where he can weave his magic because he has the X factor.
‘I don’t think this is a great move for Chelsea at all. I think so [they’re making a mistake]. In my opinion, I think Jackson could come back to haunt them, that could be a worry for me.
‘If he went to a Newcastle or a Villa, I think he could come back and haunt Chelsea by scoring a few goals because, as I say, he’s willing to run and playing where I played as a No.10 or in midfield, I’d have loved to have played with Jackson.’
Asked whether Jackson’s game would be better suited to Villa or Newcastle, Merson replied: ‘I think either one.
‘The way they play, they’ve both got good midfield players, and it’s a big pitch.’
Facing the media on Thursday, Enzo Maresca confirmed Jackson would miss Chelsea’s upcoming trip to West Ham while his future was still up in the air.
‘He is available but he is not going to be part of the squad,’ the Chelsea head coach told reporters.
‘As we already said, we have two strikers, two players in that position, and also we know that something can happen before the transfer window closes.
Pressed on whether a deal was close for Jackson, Maresca replied: ‘No idea to be honest, no idea.
‘You know already from last season that I prefer to be focused on the training sessions, preparing for the game and these kind of things. I don’t know.’
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