Nicolas Jackson suffers serious injury. African footballers. Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson has picked up a serious ankle injury while playing for Senegal, confirmed by the Senegalese FA.
The 22-year-old got injured during a 1-1 draw with DR Congo last Thursday and had to leave the game late. He missed the match against Mauritania three days later and is expected to be out for a while.
A statement from the Senegalese FA read: “Nicolas Jackson injured his right ankle during the Senegal-DRC match on June 6, 2024. Radiology examinations (MRI) carried out on June 7 revealed a serious sprain of the ankle.”
No return date has been set for Jackson, but new Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca hopes he will be back for pre-season training. Chelsea has a packed summer schedule of friendlies against Wrexham, Celtic, Club America, Manchester City, and Real Madrid.
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Jackson played a big role last season under Mauricio Pochettino, scoring 14 goals in the Premier League and 17 in all competitions from 44 appearances. Although he faced criticism as he adjusted to the Premier League, he admitted he missed many chances and aims to improve next season.
“I think I should have scored more with the chances I missed,” Jackson told Sky Sports. “It’s good, but not what I wanted to be when I came – to play Champions League next season. Everything happens for a reason and we try to fight next year.
“Even if I scored 10 or 15, the most important thing is for the team to be as high as possible and make the fans happy. Then the goals will come.
“Trying to improve every day. The most important thing is being available for the team, helping the team, and playing. I miss a lot but I’m trying to create more chances and score more. Hopefully next year it’s going to be better.”
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More about Nicolas Jackson
Nicolas Jackson (born 20 June 2001) is a Senegalese professional footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Chelsea and the Senegal national team. Jackson was born in Senegal to a Gambian father and Senegalese mother. In 2017, following the 2016 Gambian presidential election, his family moved to Ziguinchor, Senegal.
He began representing Senegal at the under-20 level and received his first call-up in November 2018. In September 2022, Jackson was called up to the full national team by manager Aliou Cissé for two friendlies. He was then included in the 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and made his full international debut.
In December 2023, Jackson was named in Senegal’s squad for the postponed 2023 Africa Cup of Nations held in the Ivory Coast.