Chelsea legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink believes Nicolas Jackson can be better than Manchester City’s Erling Haaland if he fulfils his potential.

Speaking to Genting Casino, Hasselbaink said that Jackson is a late bloomer and he has already seen enough to convince him that he could be worth up to £150m in the future:

“Nicolas Jackson and Erling Haaland are similar ages (23 and 24 respectively). The major difference is, 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.”

Hasselbaink, who won two Premier League Golden Boots in his career, says there are things Jackson has in his armoury that Haaland doesn’t:

“He’s a player that has the potential to be able to do everything. He can play outside the box. He can play with the ball at his feet, those are things that Erling Haaland can’t really do. The only thing that Jackson needs to understand is, when he gets involved in the build-up, that game outside the box, sometimes he can try and do too many things. He doesn’t have to do that.”

“Sometimes the best way to get in behind is a simple one-two, a give and go. That was the type of goal he scored first against West Ham; take the ball, play it back to the midfielder and go into the space. When the midfielder can find him, he’s in one-against-one with the goalkeeper. Jackson has the potential to become one of the best strikers in the world.”

The Chelsea striker needs to improve his finishing

While Hasselbaink is correct in saying that Jackson is a more rounded forward than Haaland, there is a gap to bridge in terms of their ability to convert chances.

Haaland has already outperformed his non-penalty xG by 4.0 this season. Jackson is doing ok on this metric with a +0.7 score but he still has a way to go. It is progress on last campaign when his score was -4.6 but it is something he has to keep working on.

Jackson has competition for his place in the starting lineup

Although Hasselbaink has lavished praise on Jackson, it should be pointed out that the Senegalese international’s position in the starting eleven is not set in stone.

Christopher Nkunku’s hat-trick against Barrow midweek means he is pressing for minutes in the Premier League. With both players in excellent form, it is a welcome selection headache for head coach Enzo Maresca.

Find out who is in Chelsea’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here