"Somebody has to tell me what he does" - Craig Burley blasts 'horrendous' Chelsea star after Wolves defeat
Craig Burley has lashed out at Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson following his underwhelming performance in the 2-1 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Sunday (December 24). The ESPN pundit feels the forward isn't good enough to play as a headline striker in the English top flight.
Nicolas Jackson was given yet another opportunity to prove himself as Chelsea traveled to the Molineux Stadium to take on Wolves in the Premier League. However, the Senegalese couldn't make the most of that opportunity as he fired blanks once again in a highly disappointing performance.
Speaking after the game, Craig Burley couldn't help but target the Blues star for criticism. The ESPN pundit boldly claimed that the Senegalese isn't at the Premier League's level and questioned his signing.
“They are horrendous up front. Nico Jackson – somebody has to tell me what he does. I mean he played a little bit off Broja today, then they made some changes," Burley said on ESPN. “He’s got eight yellow cards as a front-man, probably more than he’s had strikes at goal."
“I mean it’s just horrendous and it asks questions about the recruitment again because he’s clearly not good enough to play as a headline striker in the Premier League,” Burley added.
Nicolas Jackson joined Chelsea from Villarreal during the summer transfer window in a deal worth £30 million, according to Sky Sports. The Senegalese penned an eight-year deal that will keep him at Stamford Bridge until 2031.
So far, the striker has made 21 appearances for Mauricio Pochettino's side across all competitions, recording eight goals and one assist
Chelsea could sign a new striker in January: Reports
With Nicolas Jackson not yet at the level that's required of him, it wouldn't be a surprise if Chelsea dips into the market to hunt for a new striker. In fact, rumors suggest the Blues could add an established forward to their ranks as early as this January.
According to Football.london, the Blues are considering making a move for Brentford star Ivan Toney when the transfer window reopens next month. Arsenal are also being linked with the player so it would likely be a two-horse battle for his signature.
Meanwhile, Eurosport also claims that Chelsea are interested in signing Napoli superstar Victor Osimhen but the player's £100 million valuation is a concern.