David Ornstein has been speaking about Nicolas Jackson and Chelsea’s search for a new centre-forward.
Chelsea are expected to sign a No.9 this summer, with Jackson out of form and not having much cover.
The 23-year-old is the only experienced out-and-out striker in Enzo Maresca‘s squad and has not scored a goal since December.
Chelsea can sign Serhou Guirassy thanks to a very specific release clause in his contract at Borussia Dortmund, but the Blues seem to be prioritising other centre-forwards at the moment.
- READ MORE: Jason Cundy shares whether he thinks Chelsea should drop Nicolas Jackson for Tyrique George
Chelsea still have ‘high hopes’ for Nicolas Jackson
Chelsea could bring in Liam Delap or Hugo Ekitike when the transfer window opens. However, they are not giving up on Jackson.
According to Ornstein, the club still have “high hopes” for the Senegal international despite his recent struggles.
Speaking on The Athletic FC Podcast, Ornstein said: “A striker is Chelsea’s top priority as we understand it and you mentioned Delap there. He’s among the options they’re looking at along with, say a [Benjamin] Sesko, an Ekitike and there’ll be others on the list as well, so we’ll see which way that ends up.
“They’ve got high hopes for Jackson and this would be adding to the frontline in a position that many people have felt they’ve needed for a long time.”
Ipswich Town’s imminent relegation to the Championship means Chelsea will be able to sign Delap for £30m because of a release clause. Ekitike, on the other hand, could cost a large fee this summer.
Eintracht Frankfurt value Ekitike at £86m, which may deter Chelsea and other suitors. His stock is on the rise again after a very impressive season in Germany.
In 44 appearances, the young Frenchman has scored 21 goals. It is a return that has put him firmly on Chelsea’s radar.
Nicolas Jackson happy at Chelsea despite barren run
Jackson is on a run of 13 games in all competitions without a goal, but the former Villarreal man is not letting that dampen his mood.
Jackson is still enjoying playing for Chelsea, saying as much in a recent interview.
When asked what he likes about lining up for the Blues, he said: “The fans and the atmosphere, the pressure to win games and everything, I like that.”
The next game Jackson could start for Chelsea is their Premier League fixture against Everton on Saturday. Maresca’s side really need to win that following Nottingham Forest’s 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night.
They are now sixth in the Premier League table, outside of the Champions League spots.
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