Tottenham legend Teddy Sheringham has opined that Chelsea might have instantaneously rued a peculiar decision made during the summer transfer window. Sheringham, revered for his striking prowess, expressed bewilderment at Chelsea’s choice to loan out Nicolas Jackson, describing the move to part ways with such a talent as “very strange.”
In a notably bustling summer for Chelsea, the club sealed 10 new signings—nine on permanent terms—while orchestrating the departure of 14 players. Among the intriguing departures, Jackson’s temporary switch to Bayern Munich particularly raised eyebrows. Initially set for a stint in Germany, he was instead recalled following an injury to Liam Delap, despite having already arrived in Munich to finalise the move.
The tale didn’t end there; Jackson and his representatives were reportedly hesitant about his return. Consequently, the forward completed his move to Bayern, leaving Chelsea to summon Marc Guiu as a stopgap on the front lines. Since donning Bayern colours, Jackson’s outings in six matches have yielded one goal and an assist, both coming from a single Champions League encounter.
Sheringham, reflecting on Chelsea’s tactical stability, noted, “Allowing Nicolas Jackson to depart, especially to a club as competitive as Bayern, seemed an odd choice for Chelsea. A club of Chelsea’s calibre requires a seasoned forward to spearhead the attack, someone astute in leading the line.”
“With two years’ tenure at Chelsea and an improving scoring resume, Jackson understood Enzo Maresca’s system, potentially easing Joao Pedro’s adaptation. Now, with Pedro novice to their system and Delap sidelined, Chelsea find themselves in a bind. Their attempt to recall Jackson post-Delap injury underscores an immediate regret which, albeit understandable, was unsurprisingly rebuffed.”
Chelsea’s frontline has yet to produce a standout goal-getter this season. Presently, midfielders Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez lead their goal tally with three goals each, while Pedro logs just two. Despite still trailing behind only Arsenal and Manchester City in the Premier League score charts with 13 goals, the Blues could benefit from an elite striker.
While Jackson may not have been the prolific scorer—with a league-best of 14 Sheringham suggests that Chelsea’s fortunes might have been bolstered with his presence amidst their current roster.