Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson recently suffered an ankle injury while on international duty with Senegal. The 22-year-old was substituted towards the end of Senegal’s 1-1 draw with DR Congo in a World Cup qualifier on Thursday. Following this, Jackson has had to withdraw from Senegal’s squad for their next World Cup qualifier against Mauritania, scheduled for Sunday evening.
The injury, which affects his right ankle, was revealed to be a serious sprain after an MRI scan conducted by Senegal’s medical team. As a result, Jackson will be resting before beginning pre-season training in July.
Chelsea’s pre-season tour in the United States is set to begin with a game against Wrexham in California on July 24. During the tour, Chelsea will also face Celtic, Club America, Manchester City, and Real Madrid. Specifically, Chelsea will play Wrexham at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California on July 24, Celtic on July 27 at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana, Club America on July 31 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, Manchester City on August 3 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, and Real Madrid on August 6 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Jackson wrapped up his debut season at Chelsea with 17 goals across all competitions, although he faced criticism for his inconsistency. Despite this, he has been praised for his energetic performances in the Premier League since joining from Villarreal for £31.8 million last summer.
Gary Neville, a pundit on Sky Sports, expressed his appreciation for Jackson on The Gary Neville Podcast in April. Neville stated, “I genuinely like Nicolas Jackson; it could be a controversial stance on here, but I like him. I believe he has a lot to offer; he is a young player. I don’t believe he cost a lot of money, but this is his first full season in the Premier League, he’s scored a lot of goals, and he’s still going. There’s a lot to say about it.”
Neville acknowledged that Jackson may not be the top striker but suggested he would be a valuable second or third choice in a squad of 18 to 20 players. He commented on Chelsea’s performance against Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final, describing it as “incredible” and “very good.” Neville pointed out that with a more consistent finisher than Jackson, Chelsea could have won the game. He emphasized that Chelsea’s owners should be looking for such a player to bolster the team.
Overall, Jackson’s injury is a setback, but his potential and contributions to Chelsea have not gone unnoticed. As he prepares for the upcoming pre-season and the next Premier League campaign, Chelsea fans and management will be hopeful that he can overcome this injury and continue to develop as a key player for the club.