John Obi Mikel has questioned Chelsea’s decision to sell Nicolas Jackson, insisting the Blues are ‘missing’ the striker this season.
Jackson enjoyed a promising first season at Stamford Bridge following his £32m move from Villarreal in 2023, scoring 17 goals in all competitions.
The Senegal international quickly formed a productive partnership with Cole Palmer and helped the England star win the Premier League Young Player of the Season award following his move from Manchester City.
Jackson was less influential in his second season at Chelsea, nonetheless, and attracted criticism from a variety of pundits for his inconsistent ending.
It quickly became apparent that Chelsea intended to exchange Jackson last summer and the Blues welcomed Joao Pedro and Liam Delap to the club.
Jackson was subsequently sent on loan to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, leaving Pedro and Delap as Chelsea’s two most important striker options this season.
Pedro has largely impressed following his £60m move from Brighton, scoring 19 goals in all competitions, but ex-Ipswich Town forward Delap has netted just twice since his £30m transfer.
Obi Mikel has questioned each Pedro and Delap, nonetheless, claiming neither have provided Chelsea with what Jackson did during his time at Stamford Bridge.
‘We’re missing Nicolas Jackson,’ the Chelsea hero said on his YouTube channel. ‘What he gave us, no striker has given us. So yes, we’re missing Jackson.’
Bayern Munich paid an eye-watering £14.3m simply to sign Jackson on loan for the 2025-26 campaign.
The German giants also agreed to sign Jackson on a everlasting transfer this summer price an additional £56m if certain conditions were met.
Jackson has didn’t play enough games to activate the transfer, nonetheless, meaning Bayern can have to renegotiate a brand new cope with Chelsea or send him back to Stamford Bridge.
The 24-year-old was delighted to affix Bayern Munich and desired to stay on the Allianz Arena but is now said to be ‘open’ to returning to west London.
Obi Mikel shouldn’t be the one pundit to query Chelsea’s decision to dump Jackson, with Paul Merson and Paul Scholes voicing similar opinions earlier within the season.
Jackson has not had a big impact at Bayern, playing back-up to England captain Harry Kane, but remains to be set to be a Bundesliga and potentially even a Champions League winner.
Vincent Kompany’s side are 15 points clear at the highest of the Bundesliga table and preparing to face Real Madrid on Wednesday night for a spot within the Champions League semi-finals.
Jackson’s parent club Chelsea, meanwhile, have lost five of their last six games to slide to sixth within the Premier League and crash out of the Champions League.
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