Mauricio Pochettino says Chelsea star can be ‘one of the greatest’ in the Premier League after Luton triumph
CHELSEA manager Mauricio Pochettino believes Nicolas Jackson could become one of the best strikers in the Premier League.
Jackson, 22, joined the Blues in a £32million transfer from Villarreal in June.
He scored his first Chelsea goal on Friday as Pochettino’s side cruised to a 3-0 win over newly-promoted Luton.
And the former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain boss is confident that it was a sign of things to come.
After the match, Pochettino said: “We knew Nicolas Jackson’s quality when we signed him, we saw that before. It is not that we ask him to run and press the ball, he is quality in the way he recovers the ball, but he also can finish.
“It is only a matter of time, once he settles into the Premier League, he will show it more.
“Nicolas Jackson has top quality. I have no doubt that he can become one of the greatest strikers in the Premier League.”
Jackson scored 13 goals and provided six assists for Villarreal before moving to Stamford Bridge earlier this summer.
And former Chelsea defender Scott Minto has likened him to Didier Drogba.
Speaking to talkSPORT after Chelsea’s clash with West Ham, the 52-year-old said: “You know who he reminded me of in that first half? Although he’s got to do it for about four more years, maybe even five, Drogba.
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“He was powerful, he dropped off, his touch was good, he was holding defenders off, he was running in behind, he was turning, defenders couldn’t keep up with him pace wise.
“I was like, ‘Whoosh, tell you what, this is a player’. Now as I say, I’m very weary of using those words Didier and Drogba with any kind of Chelsea no.9 at the moment.
“It’s only been Diego Costa that’s kind of lived up to any kind of hype and there’s been some big, big names, not just wearing the no.9 but playing up front for Chelsea.
“But I saw a lot of talent and a lot of potential there, and do you know what? He could turn things almost on his own.”