John Obi Mikel hits back at Chelsea star who told him to 'shut up' after criticism

09/17/2024 02:13 PM

John Obi Mikel has urged Nicolas Jackson to take on his 'constructive criticism' after being told to 'shut up' and 'don't talk s**t' by the Chelsea striker.

After a summer move from Villarreal last year, Jackson netted a very respectable 17 goals in his first season at Stamford Bridge with two in five appearances at the start of the new campaign under Enzo Maresca.

But his erratic finishing has remained a talking point with former Blues midfielder Mikel among those to question his ability in front of goal.

After scoring against Wolves in August, Jackson hit back at the former Nigeria international in a fiery Instagram post which read: 'Shut your mouth don't talk s***, we are killing ourselves for Africa.'

But Mikel stands by his criticism of the Chelsea star, insisting his comments 'come from a good place'.

'I’ve always said what I’ve said about Nicolas Jackson. He is a good player, there is not once I have ever said he is a bad player,' Mikel told beIN Sports.

'The only criticism is his finishing needs to be much better. In terms of giving us what we want, being in the right place at the right time, he does for the team.'

Asked by fellow pundit Ruud Gullit if Jackson agrees with that assessment, Mikel continued: 'I don’t think he agrees to that but I think everyone will understand what I am saying. It’s not coming from a bad place, it’s a really constructive criticism.'

Gullit said: ‘As long as he knows that himself.' Mikel added: ‘But he doesn’t. That’s why when he scored he told me to shut up!’

Jackson remains Chelsea's first choice striker this season after the club's failure to sign Victor Osimhen in the final weeks of the summer transfer window.

'We want players, but we wanted a player that we decide,' Maresca said of that failed move.

'It has to be on our conditions. If a player is not here, then it was not. We will see in January.'

'I had faith, and the club also, even before [in Jackson],' Maresca added. 'We trust Nicolas. When the transfer window was open, I said he was doing fantastic with us.

'The only thing I know is he's signing a new contract – I don't know how many years.

'I'm very happy. Nicolas is doing a fantastic job with us. He scored again. He had more chances but we're happy with him.'