Micah Richards claimed £32m Chelsea signing would become a star, he's starting to prove him right - opinion

The 2023 summer transfer window was once again a busy one for Chelsea under their new ownership.

The likes of Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson were brought in to strengthen Mauricio Pochettino‘s squad.

Jackson was one of Chelsea‘s cheaper signings, arriving from Villarreal in a £32m deal.

A lot has been said about the striker following his move to Stamford Bridge, and it has not always been pleasant.

However, Micah Richards made quite a positive prediction about Jackson right at the beginning of the campaign, and it is starting to come into fruition.

Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images

What did Micah Richards say about Nicolas Jackson?

Jackson arrived at Chelsea as a 22-year-old who had never played in the Premier League before.

Nevertheless, Richards expected big things from the Senegal international.

Speaking about him on Sky Sports, the former Manchester City defender said: “I think the good thing that I was impressed with is that he runs in behind.

“How many times last season did you watch Chelsea and everyone was coming to the ball? It was too easy. You knew what they were going to do.

“He’s bringing excitement. He’s bringing a freshness. I think he’s going to be a star this season.”

Nicolas Jackson is becoming a star at Chelsea

There is a long way to go until Jackson becomes the finished article. The forward has missed a lot of chances this season and has admitted himself that he should have more goals to his name.

However, Jackson has still scored 12 times in 32 outings, which is not a terrible return, while the fact that he is finding himself in positions to miss chances in the first place is actually an encouraging sign.

Since joining Chelsea, Jackson has made a big impact, recently scoring in back-to-back Premier League games against Newcastle United and Brentford, while he also netted a hat-trick versus Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the season.

If the former Villarreal man keeps on improving and refines his finishing, he certainly can become a star at Stamford Bridge.