Chelsea confirmed the signing of Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson on an eight-year deal from La Liga club Villarreal on Friday.
Jackson becomes the latest Senegal international to move to Stamford Bridge after his compatriots Kalidou Koulibaly and Edouard Mendy left for Saudi Arabia in June.
Afrosport provides the details to know about the African star that set La Liga on fire with goals last season.
Where in Senegal is Jackson from?
The 22-year-old is a Senegal international but he was born in the Gambian capital city of Banjul. He traced his roots back to Ziguinchor city in Senegal at the age of 16 where he started playing football.
Jackson’s playing days started at ASC Tilene in 2017 before he joined Senegalese top-flight club Casa Sports in 2018.
How is Jackson’s performance in La Liga with Villarreal?
He did not make his La Liga debut until December 2021 when he came on as a stoppage-time substitute in Villarreal’s 2-0 victory against Real Betis. The Teranga Lions star made 10 appearances in the 2021-22 season.
The following campaign (2022-23) proved to be a breakthrough for Jackson as he fired from all cylinders for the Yellow Submarine, scoring 12 goals with four assists in 26 La Liga matches.
His return of five goals in three league matches in May earned him the prestigious La Liga Player of the Month award.
What will Jackson add to Chelsea’s attack?
Jackson proved his clinical scoring ability in the Spanish top-flight last season with 12 goals that all came from open play in 26 matches.
He single-handedly scored 10 goals in his last 11 matches while Chelsea as a team managed just nine goals in the same number of matches.
The Senegal star is a natural goalscorer who can give Mauricio Pochettino’s attack a new dimension with his ability to play from the flanks.
The 22-year-old also showcases fine driblling skills, hence, was dubbed ‘Neymar’ in Senegal and he recorded 23 successful take-ons from 34 attempts in La Liga last season. He is reliable at running behind defences on the counter and also scoring with either foot.
Is Jackson a regular player in Senegal national team?
The 22-year-old currently plays for Aliou Cisse’s first-team after playing for Senegal U20.
The new Chelsea signing got his first invitation to the Teranga Lions set-up in September 2022 and he made his international debut at the 2022 FIFA World Cup against the Netherlands.
He played in Senegal’s last two matches in June against Benin in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and their 3-2 win against Brazil in an international friendly.
