Nicolas Jackson
Personal information
Full name Nicolas Jackson[1]
Date of birth (2001-06-20) 20 June 2001 (age 22)[2]
Place of birth Djibonker, Senegal[3]
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[4]
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Chelsea
Number 15
Youth career
2017–2018 Tilene
2018–2019 Casa Sports
2019–2020 Villarreal
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2019 Casa Sports
2019–2022 Villarreal B 25 (5)
2020–2021 → Mirandés (loan) 16 (1)
2021–2023 Villarreal 35 (12)
2023– Chelsea 19 (7)
International career‡
2018 Senegal U20 1 (0)
2022– Senegal 10 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:40, 30 December 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23 January 2024

Nicolas Jackson (born 20 June 2001) is a Senegalese professional footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Chelsea and the Senegal national team.

Club career

Early career

Born in Djibonker, Senegal,[5] he began playing for local side ASC Tilene before joining Casa Sports,[6] where he was a part of the first team squad during the 2018–19 season.[7][8] He was also named man of the match in a 1–1 Ligue 1 draw against AS Pikine on 16 November 2018.[9][10]

Villarreal

In September 2019, Jackson agreed to a contract with La Liga side Villarreal,[11][12] being assigned to the Juvenil A squad.

Loan to Mirandés

On 5 October 2020, Jackson was loaned to Segunda División side Mirandés for the 2020–21 season.[13] He made his professional debut thirteen days later, coming on as a second-half substitute for Antonio Caballero in a 0–0 home draw against Mallorca.[14]

Jackson scored his first professional goal on 28 November 2020, netting the opener in a 1–1 home draw against CD Castellón.[15] It was his only goal of the season, as the Jabatos finished in the 10th position.

Breakthrough

Upon returning, Jackson played for Villarreal's B-team in Primera División RFEF, scoring seven goals as the side achieved promotion to the second division. He made his first team – and La Liga – debut on 3 October 2021, replacing Arnaut Danjuma late into a 2–0 home win over Real Betis.[16]

Jackson scored his first goal in the top tier on 13 August 2022, netting the opener in a 3–0 away success over Real Valladolid. Thirteen days later, he and teammate Álex Baena were promoted to the main squad.[17]

In January 2023, Villarreal agreed a £22.5 million deal from AFC Bournemouth for the signing of Jackson but he failed his medical due to hamstring issues.[18] After returning to action in March, he scored nine goals within the months of April and May, which included braces against Celta de Vigo, Athletic Bilbao and Cádiz.

Chelsea

On 30 June 2023, Jackson signed for Premier League club Chelsea on an eight-year deal lasting until 2031 for a fee reported to be £32 million.[19] On 13 August, he made his debut for the club in a 1–1 draw against Liverpool in the Premier League.[20] Jackson scored his first Chelsea goal on 25 August 2023 against newly promoted side Luton Town, helping Chelsea to a 3–0 win at Stamford Bridge.[21] He scored his second Chelsea goal in a 1–0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion in the EFL Cup.[22] On 6 November, Jackson scored a hat-trick in a 4–1 win over Tottenham Hotspur at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.[23] He scored again in the next match against Manchester City, which ended in a 4–4 home draw.[24]

International career

Jackson represented Senegal at under-20 level,[25][26] receiving his first call-up in November 2018.[27]

After being called up to the full side by manager Aliou Cissé for two friendlies in September 2022, Jackson was included in the 26-man list for the 2022 FIFA World Cup on 11 November 2022.[28] He made his full international debut in Senegal's opening match of the competition, replacing Krépin Diatta in a 2–0 loss against the Netherlands.[29]

In December 2023, Jackson was named in Senegal's squad for the postponed 2023 Africa Cup of Nations held in the Ivory Coast.[30]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 30 December 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Mirandés 2020–21 Segunda División 16 1 1 0 — — — 17 1
Villarreal B 2021–22 Primera División RFEF 25 5 — — — 2[c] 2 27 7
Villarreal 2021–22 La Liga 8 0 1 0 — 0 0 — 9 0
2022–23 La Liga 26 12 2 0 — 10[d] 1 — 38 13
Total 34 12 3 0 — 10 1 — 47 13
Chelsea 2023–24 Premier League 19 7 0 0 4 1 — — 23 8
Career total 94 25 4 0 4 1 10 1 2 2 114 29
  1. ^ Includes Copa del Rey, FA Cup
  2. ^ Includes EFL Cup
  3. ^ Appearances in Primera Federación promotion playoffs
  4. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

International

As of match played 23 January 2024[31]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Senegal 2022 1 0
2023 5 0
2024 4 0
Total 10 0

Honours

Individual

References

  1. ^ "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Squad list: Senegal (SEN)" (PDF). FIFA. 15 November 2022. p. 25. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  2. ^ "Nicolas Jackson". Epic Sports. Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  3. ^ "Nicolas Jackson". Chelsea Football Club. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  4. ^ "Nicolas Jackson". Chelsea Football Club. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  5. ^ "Nicolas Jackson". Chelsea Football Club. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  6. ^ "Nicholas Jackson: The rise from Casa Sport to Chelsea". Sport News Africa. 30 June 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  7. ^ "Nicolas Jackson" (in French). Ligue Sénégalaise de Football Professionnel. Retrieved 7 October 2020.[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ "Jackson on his journey from street footballer to Chelsea star". Chelsea FC. 16 September 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  9. ^ "AS Pikine vs Casa Sports (1–1): les Pikinois tenus en échec à domicile" [AS Pikine vs Casa Sports (1–1): the Pikinois held in check at home] (in French). Ligue Sénégalaise de Football Professionnel. 23 November 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2020.[permanent dead link]
  10. ^ "Des verts de la Casamance aux Blues londoniens, la fulgurante ascension de Nicolas Jackson" [From the greens of Casamance to the London Blues, the meteoric rise of Nicolas Jackson] (in French). Africa Foot. 25 June 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  11. ^ "Mercato: Diomansy Camara fait signer un joueur du Casa Sport à Villarreal" [Transfer market: Diomansy Camara signs a Casa Sport player at Villarreal] (in French). Galsenfoot. 4 September 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  12. ^ "El Villarreal firma al joven delantero Nicolás Jackson el 'Neymar' senegalés para uno de sus dos filiales" [Villarreal sign young forward Nicolás Jackson the Senegalese 'Neymar' to one of their reserve teams] (in Spanish). Castellón Información. 3 September 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  13. ^ "Jackson will play on loan at Mirandés". Villarreal CF. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  14. ^ "Un cerocerismo injusto por lo visto en Anduva" [An unfair 0–0 for what it was seen in Anduva] (in Spanish). Marca. 18 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  15. ^ "El Castellón se crece y araña un buen punto de Anduva" [Castellón grow big and scratch a good point out of Anduva] (in Spanish). Marca. 28 November 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  16. ^ "Nicolas Jackson, la nueva perla amarilla que ya perfila Emery" [Nicolas Jackson, the new yellow pearl who Emery already shapes up] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 11 October 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  17. ^ "Baena and Jackson officially become first-team players". Villarreal CF. 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  18. ^ "Bournemouth's swoop for Southampton target Jackson fails after medical". Southern Daily Echo. 27 January 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  19. ^ "Nicolas Jackson joins the Blues". www.chelseafc.com. 30 June 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  20. ^ "Chelsea 1–1 Liverpool: Mauricio Pochettino's side fight back to draw his first Premier League game in charge". Sky Sports. 13 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  21. ^ "Chelsea 3–0 Luton Town: Raheem Sterling double helps Blues see off Hatters". BBC. 25 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  22. ^ Steinberg, Jacob (27 September 2023). "Nicolas Jackson knocks Brighton out of Carabao Cup to lift gloom at Chelsea". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  23. ^ "Chelsea beat nine-man Tottenham in chaotic epic". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  24. ^ "Chelsea 4–4 Manchester City: Cole Palmer hits late penalty to deny former club victory". BBC Sport. 12 November 2023.
  25. ^ "Matches amicaux – Les U 20 invités en Arabie saoudite" [Friendlies – U-20 invited to Saudi Arabia] (in French). Ligue Sénégalaise de Football Professionnel. 28 December 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2020.[permanent dead link]
  26. ^ "Préparation de matches amicaux : L'équipe nationale juniors en stage à partir de lundi" [Preparation for friendly matches: The national junior team in training camp from Monday] (in French). Ligue Sénégalaise de Football Professionnel. 4 January 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2020.[permanent dead link]
  27. ^ "Première sélection pour Nicolas Jackson du Casa-Sports" [First call-up of Nicolas Jackson from Casa Sports] (in French). SenePlus. 15 November 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  28. ^ "Aliou Cisse dévoile les 26 Lions pour Qatar" [Aliou Cissé unveils 26 Lions for Qatar] (in French). Senegalese Football Federation. 11 November 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  29. ^ "Jackson debuta con Senegal en el Mundial y cae ante Países Bajos" [Jackson debuts with Senegal in the World Cup and suffer defeat against the Netherlands] (in Spanish). Castellón Plaza. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  30. ^ "Afcon 2023: Senegal and Sadio Mane set for defence of title". BBC Sport Africa. 29 December 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  31. ^ "Nicolas Jackson". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  32. ^ "Nicolas Jackson named LaLiga Santander Player of the Month for May". La Liga. 1 June 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.

External links

Chelsea F.C. – current squad
Senegal squads
Categories