Nicolas Jackson's rise to Premier League stardom was never in doubt for his former housemate and teammate, Iker Goujon. Despite critics questioning Jackson's ability, Goujon, who is now a free agent after being released from Barcelona B due to a severe knee injury, always believed in the Chelsea striker's potential.
The pair lived together during their time at Villarreal and Goujon has been impressed by Jackson's development. He told the Mirror: "I witnessed Nico’s exponential growth up close and had a very different opinion than many at the time.
"People doubted he could become a top player, often pointing to his finishing as a weakness but that never concerned me.
"I always reassured him and told him to stay calm because I saw a complete player who worked tirelessly to improve.
"Any top-level coach in Europe would now use Nico as their starting striker if he was in their squad."
However, Jackson's journey to becoming one of the Premier League's most formidable forwards hasn't been without its challenges.
After joining from Senegalese side Casa Sports, he was loaned out to Segunda Division team Mirandes where he struggled with injuries and scored just one goal.
Goujon became a guiding light for his disheartened teammate and recounted: "Nico seemed very down, didn’t have a driving license, barely socialised with team-mates and was very insecure about opening up to others due to fears of discrimination or his own insecurities.
"I couldn’t let that continue and offered to drive him home one day and then it became a daily routine."
"Over time, we built a bond, he improved his Spanish significantly, introduced me to his African music and we laughed a lot. He became himself again."
According to Goujon, this camaraderie led to a turning point: "We started hanging out almost every day, and that’s when everything changed, he barely suffered injuries afterwards."
Even the staff at Villarreal took notice of the transformation, prompting them to enquire about Goujon's influence: "Even members of Villarreal’s staff noticed the difference, asking what I'd done.
"I simply helped him feel at home and that summer, I even visited his family in Ziguinchor, Senegal."
The optimism surrounding the young player's development was also shared by Sporting Gijon coach Pablo Gomez Rubio, who observed Jackson's potential while working with him at Mirandes, saying: "Nico was very competitive, an introverted boy who asked for nothing and thanked you for anything you gave him.
"From the first training session, his talent was visible. His power and balance were above average. When something did not come off, he would get angry with himself and strive to make the next action perfect.
"He always had the mindset to reach the highest level."
Goujon's friendship with Jackson is stalwart, but he feels eternally indebted after a case of mistaken identity saw Jackson sent off in a match. In the ecstatic aftermath of a last-gasp winner for Villarreal B, Goujon tossed a plastic chair in jubilation—a deed that led the referee to erroneously eject Jackson instead.
Despite this mishap, their bond remained unscathed. Illustrating Jackson's unwavering ambition, Goujon recounts a poignant story.
Having driven Jackson to the airport for a £20.3million transfer to Bournemouth, an unexpected WhatsApp message revealed the deal's failure. Undeterred upon his return, Jackson told Goujon, "Now I need to work harder than ever to earn the opportunity again."
His perseverance paid off—in six months' time, Chelsea would be the ones knocking at his door.