Nicolas Jackson will be unavailable for six to eight weeks after sustaining a hamstring injury, Chelsea have confirmed. Head coach Enzo Maresca stated, “Nico will be out until the international break, probably available after the international break.”
The Senegalese forward suffered the injury during Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over West Ham United earlier this month. Despite attempting to play through the discomfort, he was eventually substituted in the second half. Jackson has been a key figure for Chelsea this season, scoring nine Premier League goals before the setback.
In Jackson’s absence, Maresca acknowledged the challenge of adjusting the team’s attacking setup. While Christopher Nkunku is an attacking threat, Maresca reiterated that he does not see the Frenchman as a natural striker. “I said since day one that Christo is not a (number) nine, he is an attacking midfielder. We know very well that Christo is not a nine,” Maresca explained.
Chelsea are also managing injuries to key players, including Marc Guiu, Romeo Lavia, Benoît Badiashile, and Wesley Fofana. Maresca provided an update on their recoveries, indicating that Fofana may return in two to three weeks, while Lavia is expected to be available after the international break.
As Chelsea prepare for their upcoming Premier League fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion, Maresca may have to explore alternative attacking options. Players such as Pedro Neto, Noni Madueke, Tyrique George, and Jadon Sancho could be considered to fill the void left by Jackson’s injury.
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