Newcastle United are scrambling to find an alternative striker to Alexander Isak.
With Alexander Isak determined to leave Newcastle, the pressure is on the Toon recruitment team to identify someone that can take his place.
Newcastle did want Benjamin Sesko to fill that role, but his preference is to move to Manchester United.
That is forcing Eddie Howe to look elsewhere, with Nicolas Jackson an option for Newcastle.
Chelsea are willing to sell Jackson, as Newcastle weigh up whether or not he is good enough to fill Isak’s boots.
Nicolas Jackson celebrates scoring for Chelsea against Brentford in the Premier League.
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Shaka Hislop says Newcastle United can do better than Nicolas Jackson
In the eyes of former Newcastle United goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, Jackson is not up to the task.
Hislop has spoken about Jackson possibly joining Newcastle United on the ESPN FC YouTube channel, admitting he thinks there are much better options out there.
“Listen, I’ll be honest, the Nicolas Jackson option does not make an awful lot of sense to me,” he said.
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“Other than it being a financial one, a cheap and quick fix. I just feel there are other options out there.
“Absolutely, they have to go for somebody. Sesko was the preferred option. If he chooses Manchester United, you have to start looking elsewhere.
“Ollie Watkins was a target of Manchester United, but they were put off by his age. If you need an immediate fix and someone who is Premier League proven, Watkins is an option. Wissa at Brentford. Given Brentford’s mass departures this summer, [he is] available. He is only a year younger than Watkins, but still a viable option.
“I just don’t see Nicolas Jackson being the person to fill any kind of void left by Alexander Isak.”
Hislop added that when describing Jackson as a cheaper option, he was thinking of a loan deal between the two clubs as a short-term solution to give Newcastle more time to work out a longer-term plan to replace Isak.
In terms of a permanent deal, Chelsea want £80million for Jackson. That is more than what Isak cost in 2022 and would make him Newcastle’s most expensive signing ever.
What Nicolas Jackson has over Benjamin Sesko as Newcastle United ponder next move
Missing out on Sesko is a blow. He looked perfectly suited to filling the Isak-shaped hole that could soon be in the Newcastle United squad.
Is Jackson capable of doing the same? The jury is out.
However, there is one thing that the Senegal international has over Sesko and it is Premier League experience. Jackson has two years of playing in English football’s top flight under his belt, scoring double figures on both occasions.
That is certainly an achievement that should be celebrated, while there is scope for him to get a lot better. The same goes for Sesko, but it is unknown how he will adapt to life as a Premier League striker.
In that respect, he is a risk for Man United and would have been a risk for Newcastle.
It is a risk that Newcastle were prepared to take, and now they must decide if they are going to take a different kind of risk on Jackson.