Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink believes Chelsea should keep Nicolas Jackson despite the striker edging closer to a big money transfer.
After several weeks holiday following their Club World Cup triumph, Chelsea play their first of two pre-season friendlies on Friday night – just a week before the start of the 2025/26 Premier League season.
The Blues take on Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan this weekend, before hosting Crystal Palace in their opening game of the new season on August 17.
You can follow all the action from Chelsea vs Bayer Leverkusen on the Metro’s dedicated live blog.
Enzo Maresca’s starting XI for the friendly against Leverkusen included new signings Liam Delap and Estevao, the forwards making their first appearances for the club at Stamford Bridge.
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Fellow summer arrivals Jorrel Hato, Dario Essugo, Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro were all named on the bench.
But there were two notable absentees from the matchday squad, with Jackson and Christopher Nkunku nowhere to be seen amid increasing speculation they could leave west London.
Despite both featuring at the Club World Cup, the centre-forwards’ futures at the club have been in doubt following the arrival of Delap and Pedro.
Jackson was willing to fight for his place, the Daily Mail now report that he has handed in a transfer request and Chelsea are in talks to sell him – provided someone meets their £80million valuation – with Newcastle and Tottenham among the clubs interested.
But speaking ahead of the Leverkusen game, former Blues striker Hasselbaink says he would like to see the Senegalese stay at Stamford Bridge.
‘I’ve always said that I really like him [Jackson], he brings something different,’ the former Dutch international told Channel 5.
‘Yes, they’ve bought in two strikers. But I think a big club like Chelsea needs several strikers on the books. He’s not going to play as much as last year, but I still think that you can use him.
‘But obviously his value has gone up since they have bought it because he’s done extremely well. So if it makes sense for the club to sell them, they will.’
As for Nkunku, Hasselbaink conceded his time is up, adding: ‘He’s going to want to play. He’s got [Cole] Palmer in front of him in his position, so it’s going to be difficult for him.
‘I think he’s a player that that wants to play. So he’s going to have to look somewhere else.’
Asked if Jackson and Nkunku’s absence against Leverkusen was transfer-related, Maresca simply said: ‘Both are Chelsea players and we will see what will happen.’
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