Why Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson could be just what Roberto De Zerbi needs at Tottenham

[p]It isn't clear at this point if [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/richarlison/K82Dz773/"]Richarlison[/a] wants to leave the club, after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-zerbi-roberto/pYizckpN/"]Roberto De Zerbi[/a] noted after a pre-season friendly that the Brazilian [b]"sometimes wants to leave."[/b][/p][h2]Richarlison to leave [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tottenham/UDg08Ohm/"]Tottenham[/a]?[/h2][p]The statement appears an odd one to make, and suggests that Richarlison is more out of the North London club than in it.[/p][p]However, De Zerbi seems to be happy with the player's demeanour and attitude, and doesn't look to have ruled out his staying either.[/p][embed guid="0f427195-5ca9-469e-bab0-809063b97cea" url="https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/2083537895806128203" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]"I like him as a player and as a guy. He's unbelievable in terms of attitude and behaviour, but, in the end, we have to respect what he wants to do,"[/b] the Italian was quoted as saying.[/p][p][b]"Sometimes he says he wants to stay, sometimes he wants to leave. We have to speak anyway, but there isn't a problem. He's a lovely guy."[/b][/p][h2]Jackson could be available[/h2][p]Assuming the player might be looking for a new challenge, De Zerbi will need to bring in someone to play alongside [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/solanke-dominic/OrADwZse/"]Dominic Solanke[/a], or instead of him.[/p][p]There are plenty of candidates that might fit the bill, and one who appears to be interesting the club at present is [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/4fGZN2oK/"]Chelsea[/a] ace [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jackson-nicolas/jXg8d5RJ/"]Nicolas Jackson[/a], who spent time on loan at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bayern-munich/nVp0wiqd/"]Bayern Munich[/a] last season.[/p][image alt="Nicolas Jackson's career stats" id="ff76e1ad-6db5-4250-9795-cdf92209cdc1" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="ef74d901-15b9-47ae-884b-cf8534ce45de" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]Although [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alonso-xabi/hAcTWKKN/"]Xabi Alonso[/a] is yet to make up his mind on Jackson, there is clearly a surplus of strikers at the club, and with the Blues likely to demand in the region of £65m for the 25-year-old Senegalese, he remains one of their more sellable striking assets.[/p][p]Furthermore, a potential lack of game time should he remain at Stamford Bridge may well persuade him to consider moving across the capital.[/p][h2]Spurs need a striker with an eye for goal[/h2][p]Only [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sunderland/WSzc94ws/"]Sunderland[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fulham/69ZiU2Om/"]Fulham[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/everton/KluSTr9s/"]Everton[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/crystal-palace/AovF1Mia/"]Crystal Palace[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/west-ham/Cxq57r8g/"]West Ham[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/burnley/z3dmTMMO/"]Burnley[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/wolves/j3Azpf5d/"]Wolves[/a] scored fewer than Tottenham's 48 goals in last season's Premier League, so their need for a front man with an eye for goal is obvious.[/p][p]Jackson scored at least 10 league goals in both seasons with Chelsea, and was only two away from double figures in the Bundesliga whilst on loan at Bayern.[/p][embed guid="7d67b76f-b38f-44b0-9b0a-33cae38c7b78" url="https://x.com/SpursOfficial/status/2083520055808340420" social-type="twitter" /][p]A hard-working striker who doesn't allow his confidence levels to falter even when chances aren't taken, Jackson already has the requisite experience of the English top flight, and in teams that are primed to deliver service to their main striker, he could well flourish.[/p][p]His movement and positional awareness have always been good, even if his aim hasn't been as true as it could be sometimes.[/p][h2]Great pace and pass completion stats[/h2][p]41 goals scored and 15 assists provided over three seasons during his time at Chelsea and Bayern isn't the greatest return, though he did also hit the woodwork on a dozen occasions, which would pad out those figures nicely.[/p][p]Jackson's pace would also be a huge asset in a De Zerbi side that will almost always play more vertically, and 33 fast breaks since the start of the 2023/24 campaign is evidence enough of just how that would benefit a Tottenham side consistently on the front foot.[/p][image alt="Nicolas Jackson's pass map for Bayern Munich - Bundesliga 2025/26" id="8df17936-2c8c-49fb-9227-eba716ad4304" credit-line="Opta by Stats Perform" guid="0de41ffa-2338-412c-866d-220ab6209c95" original-width="768" original-height="576" /][p]Unusually for a main striker, he does have a healthy pass completion percentage, which topped out at 85.71% for Chelsea in the Club World Cup last summer.[/p][p]For those willing to criticise the player for his lack of crossing prowess - just two successful from 21 attempted - they should take a much broader view of what else Jackson brings to the table.[/p][p]For a start, 107 chances created from open play are not to be diminished, ditto 116 successful lay-offs, and yet the striker is still not appreciated in the manner that he should be, given his output.[/p][h2]xG could be improved[/h2][image alt="Nicolas Jackson radar graphic - Bundesliga 2025/26" id="74913eb2-ad83-43b8-b57e-62dcead0d56c" credit-line="Opta by Stats Perform" guid="eaa58903-8150-49fa-9e3c-d72e6d69fd57" original-width="768" original-height="576" /][p]Were he to sign for the Lilywhites, perhaps the one area that De Zerbi might want to work on would be with regard to his xG on target.[/p][p]This went from a high of 14.53 in his first season with Chelsea, down to 0.16 during Conference League qualifying.[/p][p]As long as he can become a little more prolific, and the way in which the Italian will set his team up would arguably be to give Jackson the best chance of doing just that, then De Zerbi and the Spurs board might well get rewarded for putting their hands in their pockets again, whilst any other interested parties just dilly-dallied.[/p][infobox id="8a8311c3-81b3-440e-8b49-36091db073d1" /]