By Kwame Bediako
Chelsea Football Club faces a significant challenge as striker Nicolas Jackson is set to be out of action for six to eight weeks due to a hamstring injury. This news comes as a major blow to manager Enzo Maresca, particularly given the current lack of depth in the squad’s forward line. The club has been actively searching for a ‘number nine,’ but despite links to notable players such as Dusan Vlahovic and Benjamin Sesko during the January transfer window, no reinforcements were secured.
Jackson, who has emerged as Chelsea’s second-highest goalscorer in the Premier League this season, was absent from last weekend’s FA Cup fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion. The severity of his hamstring issue has been confirmed, indicating that the Senegal international will likely miss crucial matches until after the March international break. Initially believed to be a minor setback sustained during a match against West Ham United, subsequent scans revealed more significant damage than anticipated.
With Jackson’s absence extending into April, Chelsea’s fixture list looks daunting. The team is set to face Brighton, Aston Villa, Southampton, Leicester City and Arsenal, alongside a two-legged Conference League last-16 tie in the first half of March. These matches will take place without Jackson, who had recently been added to the squad for the knockout phase of the tournament.
The situation is further complicated by the injury to teenage striker Marc Guiu, leaving Chelsea without a natural center forward in their first-team squad. In this challenging scenario, Christopher Nkunku is poised to step in as the primary attacking option. The Frenchman has been effective off the bench this season, contributing 13 goals in just over 1,300 minutes of play across all competitions.
Additionally, 19-year-old Deivid Washington, who was previously linked with a loan move to Santos, and the highly-rated 17-year-old Shim Mheuka are potential alternatives for Maresca. As Chelsea navigates this challenging period, the pressure will be on Nkunku and the younger talents to deliver results while Jackson recovers from his injury.
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