{"id":12977,"date":"2026-05-28T06:43:50","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T06:43:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=12977"},"modified":"2026-05-28T06:43:50","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T06:43:50","slug":"forgotten-chelsea-star-open-to-stamford-bridge-stay-under-xabi-alonso-despite-being-frozen-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=12977","title":{"rendered":"Forgotten Chelsea star open to Stamford Bridge stay under Xabi Alonso despite being frozen out"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_1cf1db\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">Nicolas Jackson has spent the past season on loan with Bayern Munich and he looks set to return to Chelsea after the German giants opted not to sign him on a permanent basis<\/h2>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37211715\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Xabi Alonso\" loading=\"eager\" sizes=\"(max-width: 508px) 508px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37211715.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_GettyImages-2255217429-1.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37211715.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s508\/0_GettyImages-2255217429-1.jpg 508w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37211715.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615\/0_GettyImages-2255217429-1.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37211715.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_GettyImages-2255217429-1.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Xabi Alonso is set to take the reins at Chelsea\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Xabi Alonso is set to take the reins at Chelsea<cite aria-label=\"Image: Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Nicolas Jackson is now open to reviving his Chelsea career &#8211; but only if he becomes first choice. The Senegalese striker spent the past season on loan with German giants Bayern Munich after falling out of favour with former boss Enzo Maresca.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He scored 11 goals in 34 games but that was not enough for the Bundesliga champions to activate their option to sign him permanently. Jackson was then linked with a host of moves elsewhere.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">But it appears that he might now be keen to stay at Stamford Bridge after all. According to The Sun, Jackson is happy to stay at the club under new boss Xabi Alonso but only on the proviso that he is a member of the first team.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">His exit originally came about because he was not willing to be an understudy behind Liam Delap. While Jackson would be open to staying, another move is not totally off the cards, with the forward open to both a loan and a permanent switch.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">FOLLOW OUR CHELSEA FB PAGE!<\/strong> <strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"\/><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><u>Latest Blues news and more on our dedicated Facebook page<\/u><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Jackson, 24, was signed from Spanish side Villarreal in 2023 and went on to score 30 goals in 81 appearances in all competitions. He has seven years remaining on his contract with Chelsea.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The Blues were recently urged by Paul Merson to reintegrate him into the side. Speaking on Sky Sports, he said: \u201cI thought Chelsea were in a position where they had a manager who was grateful to manage Chelsea.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cThey need a manager who the fans are grateful that he\u2019s managing Chelsea and they\u2019ve got that now with Xabi Alonso because he\u2019s a top manager. They need players and they need a clear-out. I would get Nicolas Jackson back, I would rip Jackson back.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37211720\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37211720\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Nicolas Jackson\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37211720.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_GettyImages-2273114283.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37211720.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_GettyImages-2273114283.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37211720.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_GettyImages-2273114283.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37211720.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_GettyImages-2273114283.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Nicolas Jackson scored 11 goals for Bayern Munich this season\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Nicolas Jackson scored 11 goals for Bayern Munich this season<cite aria-label=\"Image: Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019ve said it before, Palmer made Jackson and Jackson made Palmer. Palmer\u2019s not on that plane (to the World Cup) because Jackson\u2019s not been there.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cLiam Delap is out of his depth and Joao Pedro wants to come this way (towards the midfield) and it closes everything down, he\u2019s more of a No. 10 really.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cA back-three would suit Chelsea because they\u2019ve got Reece James, Marc Cucurella and Malo Gusto who can bomb forward and they\u2019ve got two holding midfielders in Caicedo and Enzo. That will suit Xabi Alonso. They could be a good team but they need some experience.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">New boss Alonso will officially begin his role at Chelsea on July 1, having penned a four-year contract to become Liam Rosenior\u2019s replacement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><em>Join our new WhatsApp community! Click<\/em> <\/strong><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"\/><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><em>this link<\/em> <\/strong><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"\/><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><em>to receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don\u2019t like our community, you can check out any time you like. 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