Arsenal icon was actually proven right over ‘mind-blowing’ Nicolas Jackson verdict at Chelsea
Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net.
(Credit: Imago)
Michael Mongie
Mon 15 September 2025 16:30, UK
Chelsea were heavily criticised for handing Nicolas Jackson a new contract in September 2024 which now seems justified.
Bayern Munich reached an agreement to sign Jackson from Chelsea on a season-long loan at the end of August.
And, bizarrely, Jackson could face Chelsea in the Champions League on Wednesday night due to a UEFA rule.
Last season, the Senegalese striker scored 13 goals for the Blues, but with the arrivals of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Estevao, Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho, space had to be made in the squad, and Jackson was the one sacrificed.
Looking back, Chelsea’s decision to offer Jackson a new contract just a year after he joined the club was unwise.
Credit: Imago
In mid-September 2024, Chelsea announced a fresh contract for Jackson, which extended his terms with the Stamford Bridge club to 2033.
His original contract was in 2031.
With the forward now on loan in Germany with Bayern Munich, the long-term thinking behind the contract extension makes sense, just as Paul Merson correctly pointed out last year.
MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES
Reacting to Jackson signing a new Chelsea, Merson told the Sky Sports News (12:14pm, 14 September): “It’s mind-blowing.
They are putting all their eggs into Jackson, and that’s no disrespect to him.
Fair play to his agent, who is getting knighted in a couple of weeks.”
When Roman Abramovich was in charge of Chelsea, they quickly developed a reputation for spending huge sums on transfers every summer.
Since Todd Boehly took over from the former owner in 2022, the club’s transfer approach has only become more aggressive and speculative.
Credit: Imago
The Blues have spent well over £1billion on signings in the last three years, signing a total of 51 players.
Worse yet, their performance on the pitch has not improved in line with their spending.
In the three seasons since, Chelsea have finished 12th (2022-23), 6th (2023-24) and 4th (2024/25).
For the money spent, the London club should be challenging for major honours by now.
The new signings made this summer will also need plenty of time to settle in and gel together so it seems unlikely that Chelsea will find the success this season that their recent spending warrants.
To make matters more complicated, Chelsea have been charged for 74 alleged rule breaches relating to payments to agents between the years 2009 and 2022.