Ruthless Chelsea ready to lodge January transfer bid for £60m Nicolas Jackson alternative

A report in Spain claims Mauricio Pochettino wants Lille sensation Jonathan David to fix his striker problems, despite Nicolas Jackson arriving this summer

Football, especially at Premier League level, is a cut-throat business. Fickle is the adjective most used to describe the contrasting emotions owners, managers, players and supporters often feel towards the beautiful game.

One minute you could be riding high, the next a forgotten man. When an opportunity comes, you must take it. And that is exactly what Nicolas Jackson is not quite doing right now at Chelsea.

Stamford Bridge gasped last weekend when, six yards from goal, the £32million man spooned a golden chance to equalise against Nottingham Forest over the bar. He simply had to score.

It would be foolish to write any player - especially one who is a mere 22-year-old - off after just five games, but Mauricio Pochettino needs somebody to do the business now. The noose tightens around a manager’s neck far quicker than any player's if results do not go their way.

In fairness, Jackson has been thrown into the deep end sooner than he likely expected. Christopher Nkunku was the pick of Chelsea’s summer signings and was meant to be the man leading the charge this season.

A knee injury has placed that burden on Jackson, a player who has drawn parallels with Blues legend Didier Drogba. The Senegalese international can take comfort that Drogba, who also got off to an underwhelming start in West London, scored just once in his first six Premier League games.

But reports in Spain are claiming Pochettino is already planning his Jackson alternative. Jonathan David is a name familiar to Chelsea fans as he has previously been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.

An out-and-out, pacy No.9 with a ruthless streak in front of goal, the Canadian has developed into one of European football’s top prospects. Still just 23, David has already bagged 61 goals for Lille and 25 times for his country.

Fichajes are reporting that Chelsea are willing to stump up £60million to sign the hitman - who scored 26 goals last season - in January. Doing so would add potency to a Blues attack that has looked goal-shy since Thomas Tuchel left the club a year ago.

What this would mean for Jackson is anybody’s guess. While a huge weight will be lifted from his shoulders, strikers are meant to thrive on that pressure and Nkunku’s return would also limit his opportunities.

Stamford Bridge has become a graveyard for top-level strikers in recent years - with David likely well aware of that fact. Jackson, with time on his side, is by no means having his eulogy read out, but few could argue against a move for David this winter given Chelsea’s troubles in front of goal.

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