Former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink believes, that Nicolas Jackson has the potential to surpass Erling Haaland and develop into a player worth £150m.
He urged the Senegalese star, who scored 17 goals in his first season after joining from Villarreal for around £31m last summer, to be "more decisive" in front of goal to reach the top level. Despite his goal-scoring record, Jackson still faced criticism, with club legend Jon Obi Mikel stating that he didn't pose enough of a goal threat.
Hasselbaink's take on Jackson and his comparison with Haaland
James Hasselbaink, who scored 87 goals in 177 appearances for the Blues, believes that Jackson has the potential to reach the level of Erling Haaland and become a £150 million player in the future.
According to Hasselbaink, Haaland's experience in top-level European football sets him apart from Jackson. He emphasized the importance of Jackson making smart decisions on the field to develop into a top-quality striker and consistently score goals to reach the £150 million mark. Hasselbaink also highlighted that Jackson possesses certain abilities, such as playing outside the box and with the ball at his feet, that even Haaland doesn't have.
He stated: "Nicolas Jackson and Erling Haaland are similar ages [23 and 24]. The major difference is, that Haaland has a lot more top-level experience in terms of Champions League football. He’s been playing at that level since he burst onto the scene playing for Salzburg and has stayed there. Jackson hasn’t done that.
"That is what Jackson needs to do to be considered one of the best strikers in the world. He needs to be decisive on the pitch and he needs to score goals regularly at the highest level in the game. It’s a big challenge for him, but he has the potential to get there. If Jackson fulfils his potential, he will be a £150 million player. I’m convinced of that."
Haaland is the epitome of Modern Day Strikers
Haaland stands as one of Europe's top forwards, having accumulated an impressive total of 255 goals in just 305 career outings. This includes consecutive Golden Boot awards in the Premier League and an outstanding tally of 10 goals in seven games already this season.