A Chelsea journalist identifies two academy strikers as potential replacements for Nicolas Jackson and Guiu amid their injuries.

Chelsea has been hit with devastating news that could significantly impact their season, as it was revealed late last night that Nicolas Jackson has suffered an injury. The setback leaves the Blues with no fit natural striker, as Jackson is expected to be sidelined until at least April, potentially missing a crucial part of the campaign.

This injury crisis is further compounded by the absence of Marc Guiu, Chelsea’s only other recognized number nine, who is also out injured. With both strikers unavailable, the club now faces a major dilemma in the attacking department.

Despite this, reports suggest that Chelsea remains “confident” in their remaining options—a stance that many find surprising given the limited choices available. Christopher Nkunku, who is naturally a number 10 rather than a traditional striker, has struggled when deployed as a lone forward. Beyond that, the team would have to resort to using a midfielder or winger in a false nine role, which is far from an ideal solution.

However, Chelsea does have a couple of alternatives from their academy that manager Enzo Maresca could turn to, albeit both players are young, unproven, and lack top-level experience. According to BBC journalist Nizaar Kinsella, academy prospects Deivid Washington and Shim Mheuka have been identified as potential emergency options. Additionally, it is expected that Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku will be relied upon to cover for the missing forwards.

Given the current situation, Maresca will likely depend on these makeshift solutions, though none of them represent an optimal fix. There is also the possibility of exploring the free-agent market for reinforcements, but viable options are scarce, making it doubtful that Chelsea would take that route.