- Super Eagles legend Mikel Obi responds to Jackson’s statement stands by his critique but offers support
- Obi Mikel emphasizes his desire for Jackson to succeed and contribute to the club's performance more often
- The former Chelsea star motivates Jackson by reminding him that strong performances will earn him well-deserved praise
Nicolas Jackson made a bold statement on the pitch for Chelsea over the weekend, scoring their fastest goal in seven years against Wolverhampton Wanderers. This swift strike also served as the perfect retort to former Nigeria international Mikel Obi, who had openly criticised Jackson’s finishing abilities.
Mikel Obi had previously expressed his displeasure with Jackson’s missed opportunities during Chelsea’s season opener against Manchester City.
He specifically pointed out a moment when Jackson’s impressive dribbling led to a feeble shot on goal.
After Chelsea’s commanding 6-2 victory over Wolves, Jackson took to social media to address Mikel directly, writing, “@Mikel_john_obi shut your mouth. Don’t talk s***, we are killing ourselves for Africa.”
Reacting to Jackson’s response, Mikel Obi spoke on his podcast, The Obi One, on Monday, August 26, “I really like the guy as a football player. I like him. There’s something there as a football player. I haven’t said that he’s a bad player at all. I’ve just said that his finishing qualities, it’s not there yet.”
Mikel elaborated on his comments, stating, “He’s a young boy, and all I’ve said is that he needs a more experienced striker to come into the football club to help him, to help him improve, to help him get better. We all can see the shift he puts in week in, week out.
“So for me, I would like to see my African brother, like he said, do well in the Premier League, come to Chelsea, a big club, a massive club where we’ve had one of the greatest strikers in Didier Drogba from Africa, Ivory Coast, who did really well.”
Mikel reaffirmed his support for Jackson, noting, “I’d like to see him do well as well in the club. If he plays well, I will praise him. If there is something to be said about him, where he needs to improve, I will definitely say it. If he scores every week and tells me to shut up, I’ll take that. You know what I mean?”
Jackson’s emphatic performance came just a week after Chelsea’s 2-0 loss to Manchester City, a match that saw Mikel criticise Jackson’s missed opportunity in front of goal. Reflecting on Jackson’s finishing, Mikel said, “You need a striker who knows how to hit a ball back into the net and that’s what we don’t have.”
Despite his critiques, Mikel maintained that his comments were not meant to disrespect Jackson. “I think at Chelsea Football Club, we need a top striker who can get us a goal. A bit like [Haaland], 91 goals [for City], that’s absolutely unbelievable.”
Since joining Chelsea for £32 million last summer, Jackson has scored 18 goals and provided six assists in 46 games.
Yet, his inconsistency and several high-profile misses have cast doubt on his ability to lead the line. With Romelu Lukaku’s exit and Joao Felix’s arrival, Chelsea may still look to bring in another striker, with Victor Osimhen being a prime target.
Mikel Obi discloses plan to lure Osimhen to Stamford Bridge
Previously, TheRadar reported that the Napoli striker, who has requested to leave the club, is heavily linked with a potential transfer to Chelsea. The deal could involve Romelu Lukaku moving in the opposite direction.
Chelsea has been active in the transfer market, securing players like Pedro Neto, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Marc Guiu, and Filip Jorgensen, but the club appears determined to add Osimhen to their lineup. In a concerted effort to bring the Nigerian star to Stamford Bridge, former Chelsea legends Didier Drogba and John Obi Mikel have personally reached out to Osimhen.
