Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has reiterated that Nicolas Jackson remains firmly in his plans ahead of the Club World Cup semifinal against Fluminense, despite increased competition in the Blues’ attacking line.
The Senegal international returns to the squad after serving a suspension following a red card in the loss to Flamengo and is expected to be involved in today’s crucial fixture.
Jackson’s future at Chelsea has been the subject of speculation, particularly after the club added Joao Pedro and Liam Delap to the squad this summer.
However, Maresca was clear that the striker remains a key part of his strategy. “Nico is OK… he’s working well. He played after the Newcastle red card, he played the Conference League final, he scored, we won,” Maresca said on Monday.
“For the new season, also for the future, we decided to bring another No.9, and at this moment, it’s okay.”
While acknowledging the heightened competition for the No.9 role, Maresca highlighted his preference for a more distributed goal-scoring approach.
“Joao, Liam, Nico, the ones we have at the moment, they know exactly about No.9 at Chelsea,” he explained. “But I said already many times… I prefer to have four or five players scoring 10–12 goals each than just one striker scoring 40 goals.”
Maresca pointed to contributions from other players like Noni Madueke and Enzo Fernandez as examples of the team’s emphasis on collective productivity rather than individual reliance.
With Jackson back in contention and Chelsea eyeing a spot in the Club World Cup final, the 24-year-old will be looking to reaffirm his place in Maresca’s long-term vision amid growing pressure from new signings.
The semifinal presents a timely opportunity for him to make a statement.
