Nicolas Jackson breaks silence on Chelsea competition as exit rumours heat up | OneFootball

Nicolas Jackson isn’t losing sleep over the new strikers at Chelsea. His future at Chelsea has been up in the air since Chelsea splashed the cash on Joao Pedro and Liam Delap.

However, the Senegalese striker insists he’s focused on his own game and ready to fight for his place.

Jackson’s status in Enzo Maresca’s squad took another hit at the Club World Cup, when he picked up a red card in the 3-1 defeat against Flamengo and was forced to watch from the sidelines.

That opening gave Delap a chance to stake his claim, but it was Pedro who grabbed the headlines when he scored three goals across the semi-final and final after a big-money move from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Since joining from Villarreal in 2023, Jackson has shown flashes of brilliance but hasn’t been consistent enough to earn the trust of the manager or the fans.

Jackson scored 10 times in 30 Premier League games last season. He bagged 13 goals across all competitions, much less than he managed the previous season, when he scored 17 times.

With Delap and Pedro now in the mix, Jackson has dropped to third place on the pecking order.

Rumours have circulated that he could be available for around £80 million with Manchester United, Newcastle United, and Aston Villa all touted as possible destinations.

However, he has brushed aside the notion that he’s facing increased competition and insists he’s on a mission at Chelsea.

“Competition? I have no competition,” Jackson told Dsports. “We’re all here to help the club. Everyone has their role to play. I’m on a mission. It’s up to the coach to make his choices. I focus solely on my work.”

It remains to be seen how Maresca will balance the playing time between all three strikers, but Jackson’s minutes could drop significantly next season.