A former Chelsea icon has made a bold claim about one of the club's African stars, suggesting the player could soon rival Erling Haaland's prolific goalscoring feats.
The Blues are enjoying a stellar season under Enzo Maresca, who has seemingly led the side to being early title contenders since his appointment earlier this term.
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The London-based club currently sit second on the Premier League table, level on points with Arsenal and seven behind Liverpool, marking a remarkable turnaround after finishing sixth last season.
Central to this resurgence has been Senegalese forward Nicolas Jackson.
The 22-year-old has been in scintillating form, netting eight goals and registering three assists in 13 league appearances. His dynamic presence up front has cemented him as a key figure in Maresca's attacking setup.
Former Chelsea midfielder Emmanuel Petit believes Jackson's potential knows no bounds, even suggesting he could replicate the goalscoring numbers of the Manchester City star.
"Can Jackson be as good as Haaland? Why not? I have no reason to doubt he can replicate the numbers of Haaland," Petit told ESPN.
"He has such talent around him – [Pedro] Neto, [Cole] Palmer – so many players who can give him the ball to score."
Further praising the African star's abilities, Petit said: "His movement and his understanding with his teammates are great, and he's only going to get better, too," he added.
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Jackson, who has missed only one league match this season – a 5-1 win over Southampton – is proving to be the focal point of Chelsea's newfound attacking prowess.