According to a report by Football London on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, Chelsea believe Emmanuel Emegha has the potential to become a better striker than Nicolas Jackson, although their performances during the 2024/25 season raise questions about the club’s decision to move on from the Senegal international.

Chelsea remain confident in Emegha despite his injury problems, while Jackson has made an impressive start at Aston Villa under manager Unai Emery.

Jackson has scored seven goals in 11 appearances for Villa since completing a reported £65 million transfer. His strong start has raised questions about whether Chelsea made the right decision in allowing him to leave.

The Senegalese forward scored 30 goals and provided 12 assists in 81 appearances for Chelsea before his departure. However, the club decided to change its attacking options following the arrivals of João Pedro and Liam Delap.

Delap struggled during his final season at Stamford Bridge, scoring just once in the Premier League in 2025/26 before joining Nottingham Forest.

Emegha arrived from Chelsea’s sister club, Strasbourg, through a preagreed transfer but has yet to make his competitive debut. A hamstring injury during preseason disrupted his preparations. However, manager Xabi Alonso has confirmed that the Dutch striker is available for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup match against Liverpool.

A comparison of their 2024/25 statistics helps explain Chelsea’s confidence in Emegha.

Playing for Strasbourg in Ligue 1, Emegha scored 14 goals and recorded three assists in 27 appearances. Jackson, meanwhile, managed 10 goals and five assists in 30 Premier League matches for Chelsea.

Emegha also had a better shot-conversion rate, scoring from 20.6 per cent of his attempts compared with Jackson’s 13.2 per cent. He recorded 13.80 expected goals, ahead of Jackson’s 12.30.

The 6ft 4in striker also performed better in aerial duels, winning 44.8 per cent compared with Jackson’s 33.7 per cent.

However, Jackson was more effective in creating opportunities for his teammates. He recorded 36 key passes and a successful take-on rate of 54.8 per cent, outperforming Emegha in both areas.

Chelsea’s decision appears to be based on Emegha’s finishing ability, height and physical strength, although Jackson’s overall contribution to attacking play remains an important factor.

Alonso has also praised Emegha’s qualities, saying: "When he’s fit, he’s very special because he’s 1.95 metres tall; he’s quick, he attacks the space, he’s a threat."