Chelsea’s striker saga has taken a jaw-dropping turn this summer as Enzo Maresca hits the reset button on his attacking blueprint. After a dramatic U-turn on a £134.5million transfer splurge, the new boss has instead handed a shock lifeline to a long-overlooked star—throwing the future of Nicolas Jackson into fresh doubt just weeks before the Club World Cup kicks off.
Liam Delap, the £30m signing from Manchester City and a protégé of Maresca during their days at the Cityzens’ development squad, is the name on everyone’s lips. Dubbed the next in a long, cursed line of Chelsea No.9 hopefuls, Delap now finds himself fast-tracked into a first-team role—and perhaps the starting XI—thanks to Jackson’s costly suspension and inconsistency.
Delap may be raw at the elite level, but Maresca is placing huge trust in his former student. “It’s a clean slate,” an insider close to the club hinted. “Delap’s arrival isn’t just for depth—it’s a message.” His ability to thrive in a possession-dominant system, unlike anything he’s faced before, is being viewed as a tactical coup for the new boss.
But where does that leave Jackson?
For two years, the Senegalese striker has had virtually no competition. With Armando Broja and Christopher Nkunku sidelined through long-term injuries, Jackson carried Chelsea’s attacking burden with mixed results. Though he bagged 14 goals last season and began the 2024/25 campaign with eight in 13 games, a brutal 12-match dry spell and a reckless red card against Newcastle nearly derailed Chelsea’s Champions League ambitions.
When Maresca navigated Chelsea through that critical stretch with narrow 1-0 wins, Jackson’s stock plummeted. It was only a matter of time before change came. Enter Delap, the striker Chelsea had their eyes on since January, and who’s now set to start the Premier League opener due to Jackson’s suspension.
The dynamic has undeniably shifted. Jackson, once untouchable, now faces a genuine threat to his place. Unlike Jackson—who links up play well but is shaky in the air—Delap thrives in direct runs, strength, and aerial duels. Both strikers prefer space, but their contrasting styles give Maresca options that Chelsea have long lacked.
Maresca’s plan to secure a second striker alongside Delap appears shelved—at least temporarily. Chelsea baulked at the £84.5m fee for Hugo Ekitike, and remain hesitant over spending upwards of £114.5m on Victor Osimhen or Viktor Gyokeres. Even Nick Woltemade has only been loosely linked. The financial reality means Delap must now be more than just a backup plan.
Yet this plot twist could ignite the fire within Jackson. With Delap breathing down his neck, the pressure is on for him to rise or risk fading into the background. Maresca had previously called him “the perfect No.9,” but sentiment only lasts so long in top-tier football.
Whispers around Stamford Bridge suggest that if a suitable offer arrives and another striker is secured, Jackson could even be sold. His upcoming performances in the Club World Cup may well determine whether he survives this sudden striker revolution or becomes its first victim.
So while the £134.5m dream deal fizzled, Chelsea’s story this summer has become even more gripping. It’s not just about the transfers that didn’t happen—it’s about the unexpected rivalry now brewing within.
