Chelsea have expressed interest in bringing Hugo Ekitike to Stamford Bridge, and the West Londoners’ interest in the French forward has emerged at a fascinating time given how he has been on the radars of multiple clubs in the English top tier but also because of what his signals towards how the current hierarchy at Stamford Bridge is thinking about the attacking options in the current roster, especially given that the club are already putting final pieces together to bring Manchester City academy graduate Liam Delap to Cobham this summer, which makes you want to ask the question of whether the Nicolas Jackson experiment is already running out of time.
The Blues have already got their hands on Liam Delap from Ipswich Town, which is seen by many West Londoners supporters as a long-term signing, especially given his antics for the Tractor Boys last season. When you think about Delap, he is a more traditional player given how he is physically direct and has that clinical instinct in the opposition box. And if Chelsea are planning to give him minutes in the upcoming season, the Blues are planning beyond Nicolas Jackson already.
And then comes Hugo Ekitike. Now, given how the news around him is going around, it does look like it’s one of those only for newspapers. He is more of a mobile presence in the front line but has that technical elegance about him. Added, it’s not surprising that Chelsea are looking to sign him, especially given how they were already looking at him during his time at Remis.
Now comes the topic of Jackson. He did show top potential when he featured for Villarreal before he moved to Stamford Bridge a couple of seasons ago, but we have seen how he has been inconsistent in front of goal and especially how he has shown poor composure in front of goal when it comes to high xG chances. He is also somebody that has shown some struggles against deep blocks. When it comes to his decision-making, especially in the box, it came under the limelight, and then it was how he was not able to play as a reference point in buildup, which had a domino effect on that final third flow of possession.
What does Ekitike bring to the table instead?
Chelsea have been linked with Hugo Ekitike. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)
If I am talking about Ekitike, he has shown that composure in the final third for a few seasons now (when directly compared to Jackson, it feels like he is rushing into action while Ekitike is more balanced about it).
When it comes to off-the-ball movements, the Frenchman is smarter in how he positions himself and where he runs, while Jackson is more relentless in that but at times a bit erratic.
While Ekitike is comfortable when he drops into half spaces, Jackson doesn’t have that technical ability (at least to Ekitike’s extent).
Maresca can use Ekitike more in the channels as well, even in the final third, which should be ideal with someone like Enzo Fernandez and Palmer pinging in passes in the space behind.
I think the chiefs at Chelsea may already be feeling that Jackson has hit his role ceiling, given how he is useful in only transitional sequences and he doesn’t have the patience in a lot of other things. So Ekitike would be better in the positional system that has been currently deployed at Stamford Bridge, given how he is less chaotic while being more fluid and offers a better base to build attacks around (especially, as I mentioned earlier, if Chelsea want someone to complement the likes of Palmer and Neto).
But Chelsea also have Delap now…
Liam Delap to Chelsea?
Chelsea will have Delap lining up at the Bridge next season.
In a way the Blues now have a three-horse attack where they have a young poacher profile to develop in Delap while they also have a hard worker in Jackson and a new possible anchor in Ekitike. And this, in a way, means there is no place for a long-term inconsistent performer unless the head coach goes on to rotate them heavily or shifts someone out.
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Author Opinion
Chelsea’s pursuit of Ekitike, along with the scheduled arrival of Liam Delap, feels like a strategic interest, and this may end up leaving Jackson outside of the equation. Given that the latter has had his moments of brilliance. But that being said, moments aren’t going to cut it when you play for a club with a stature of Chelsea. If Chelsea do end up finalising the deal for the Frenchman, Nicolas Jackson will probably find himself relegated to either the bench or maybe out the door.