“I’m not criticising Jackson to bring Osimhen” — John Obi Mikel clears the air

By Monsurah Olatunji

Former Chelsea midfielder and Nigerian international John Obi Mikel has recently expressed concerns about Chelsea’s current strike force, particularly focusing on Nicolas Jackson’s performances.

Mikel believes Jackson is not the solution to Chelsea’s goal-scoring struggles and suggests that the club needs a top-class forward to compete for the Premier League title.

However, some have speculated that Mikel’s criticism of Jackson may have an underlying motive, especially since he has repeatedly mentioned the idea of bringing in his compatriot, Victor Osimhen, who is currently on loan at Galatasaray.

While Jackson has scored nine Premier League goals this season, his form has dipped, with just one goal in his last six appearances.

Speaking on his ObiOne Podcast, Mikel clarified his position and explained his reasoning behind criticising Jackson, stating that he is not pushing for Osimhen’s arrival by attacking the Senegalese striker.

“I have nothing against Nicolas Jackson and every time I talk about him, it’s like I have something against him, it’s like I’m trying to get Victor [Osimhen] to come to the football club. No, it’s not, I’ve said it,” Mikel explained.

“Nicolas Jackson, he’s doing well with his combinations. But he’s not a goalscorer and that’s what we need.”

Mikel pointed out that while Chelsea are still creating chances, their lack of clinical finishing is costing them valuable points, which is why Jackson’s struggles have become a concern.

The former midfielder, who only scored two goals during his Chelsea career, suggested that the Blues should look to sign proven strikers such as Victor Osimhen from Galatasaray or Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP.

“We are creating chances, we are still playing well, we are still doing the right things, but we’re not clinical enough, we’re not scoring goals,” he said.

“If we had Victor Osimhen or the guy from Sporting, Viktor Gyokeres, trust me, we’d still be competing for the Premier League.”