Regardless of who comes in to replace Enzo Maresca, there is going to be a change in the pecking order that could allow an out-of-favour attacker to reenter the frame at Chelsea.
Chelsea have no major plans for the January transfer window, with recruitment more focused on youth until the summer.
At that point, we should expect some big moves, but not every player coming in will be a new arrival.
One man will be coming back to Stamford Bridge at the end of a season-long loan, and his fortunes might well be different under new leadership.
Nicolas Jackson could have another opportunity at Chelsea
It has become clear that Nicolas Jackson won’t be staying at Bayern Munich past the end of the season.
The Senegalese striker is currently starring at AFCON, after which he will return to the German giants to finish out the campaign.
His current club have no interest in making the move permanent, so he will be back in West London next summer.
Jackson was sad to leave Chelsea, but he faded from the manager’s plans and was no longer considered a viable option to lead the line. The signings of Joao Pedro and Liam Delap sealed his fate.
Would you take Nicolas Jackson back at Chelsea?
But Maresca is gone, and his successor might see the situation with Jackson differently. By the end of his time at Chelsea, Jackson became somewhat underrated, and the events of this season serve as a reminder that the grass is not always greener.
Chelsea will see Emanuel Emegha join in the summer, so there may not be space, but there is a world in which Jackson is deemed a more valuable squad piece than other strikers at the club.
Nicolas Jackson as a second option
Most Chelsea fans will agree that winning a Premier League title with Jackson as your first-choice striker is a tall task.
He doesn’t have that clinical nature that makes an elite number nine.
But he’s also better than most strikers at certain aspects of the game. If Chelsea’s next manager wants a centre-forward who can be an important cog in buildup, Jackson might find himself back in favour.
Not to mention, Cole Palmer has struggled without Jackson. The two formed a lethal partnership during their time together, but Palmer has yet to assist either Delap or Pedro this season.
RANK: Chelsea’s striker options
Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Pedro Neto, Marc Guiu and Tyrique George
It massively depends on who the next head coach will be. If favourite Liam Rosenior gets it, you would imagine he will want to bring his current Strasbourg captain Emegha into his plans.
Plenty of Premier League clubs are expressing interest in Jackson, so Chelsea probably won’t be stuck with him, but keeping him at the club is an option that could certainly be explored. He could still be a valuable squad piece for the Blues’ front line.
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