Terrible news hits Chelsea’s ‘next Kai Havertz’ that has been the case of the club’s 5 winless streak is creating a dilemma for Enzo Maresca and has been tipped for a potential January exit.

Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson has drawn comparisons to Kai Havertz following the Blues’ latest Premier League setback. Enzo Maresca’s squad extended their winless run to five matches on Tuesday night, salvaging a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth thanks to a late equalizer from Reece James.

Jackson, who has netted nine goals this season, has not scored since Chelsea’s last league victory over Brentford on December 15. Although he provided the assist for Cole Palmer’s opener at Stamford Bridge, he later missed a key chance, sending his effort over the bar.

The 22-year-old also squandered another significant opportunity before halftime, seeing a header saved by Mark Travers before firing the rebound into the side-netting. Former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley has now suggested that Jackson’s inconsistency is becoming a problem for Maresca, with the Blues currently sitting fourth in the table.

“There’s been more good than bad from Nicolas Jackson this season,” Burley told ESPN. “But I see him as a player—similar to Kai Havertz at Arsenal—who would be better suited to coming off the bench or playing in cup games.

“You need a top No.9, and then you can have Jackson as a secondary option. He’s had a decent season, but I’m sure Enzo Maresca will need to strengthen that position moving forward.”

Havertz, meanwhile, has faced intense criticism for his own struggles in front of goal. The Arsenal forward missed a crucial chance in his team’s League Cup defeat to Newcastle and saw his penalty saved during the FA Cup shootout loss to Manchester United. His inconsistency mirrors his time at Chelsea, where, despite scoring the winner in the 2020 Champions League final, he managed just 32 goals in 139 appearances before securing a £65 million transfer to the Emirates.

Chelsea have been linked with Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel as they look to reinforce their attacking options. Burley believes that while Jackson has made strides since last season, he is far from the ‘next Didier Drogba’ and may need to be moved on to make room for a more clinical striker.

“At one point, they might have thought Christopher Nkunku would fill that role, but that doesn’t seem to be the case,” he added. “Maybe they’ll look to address it again. The top teams challenging for titles all have an elite forward, while Nicolas Jackson is just okay.”

Chelsea have largely relied on Palmer for goals this season, with the England international scoring 14 times in the Premier League. Behind him, winger Noni Madueke is their third-highest scorer with just five goals.