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

Tony MoganPublished Sep 17, 2024, 7:13pm|Updated Sep 17, 2024, 7:14pm

John Obi Mikel has urged Nicolas Jackson to instrumentality connected his ‘constructive criticism’ aft being told to ‘shut up’ and ‘don’t speech s**t’ by the Chelsea striker.

After a summer determination from Villarreal past year, Jackson netted a precise respectable 17 goals successful his archetypal play astatine Stamford Bridge with 2 successful 5 appearances astatine the commencement of the caller run nether Enzo Maresca.

But his erratic finishing has remained a talking constituent with erstwhile Blues midfielder Mikel among those to question his quality successful beforehand of goal.

After scoring against Wolves successful August, Jackson hit backmost astatine the erstwhile Nigeria planetary successful a fiery Instagram station which read: ‘Shut your rima don’t speech s***, we are sidesplitting ourselves for Africa.’

But Mikel stands by his disapproval of the Chelsea star, insisting his comments ‘come from a bully place’.

‘I’ve ever said what I’ve said astir Nicolas Jackson. He is simply a bully player, determination is not erstwhile I person ever said helium is simply a atrocious player,’ Mikel told beIN Sports.

‘The lone disapproval is his finishing needs to beryllium overmuch better. In presumption of giving america what we want, being successful the close spot astatine the close time, helium does for the team.’

Asked by chap pundit Ruud Gullit if Jackson agrees with that assessment, Mikel continued: ‘I don’t deliberation helium agrees to that but I deliberation everyone volition recognize what I americium saying. It’s not coming from a atrocious place, it’s a truly constructive criticism.’

Gullit said: ‘As agelong arsenic helium knows that himself.’ Mikel added: ‘But helium doesn’t. That’s wherefore erstwhile helium scored helium told maine to unopen up!’

Jackson remains Chelsea’s archetypal prime striker this play after the club’s nonaccomplishment to motion Victor Osimhen successful the last weeks of the summertime transportation window.

‘We privation players, but we wanted a subordinate that we decide,’ Maresca said of that failed move.

‘It has to beryllium connected our conditions. If a subordinate is not here, past it was not. We volition spot successful January.’

‘I had faith, and the nine also, adjacent earlier [in Jackson],’ Maresca added. ‘We spot Nicolas. When the transportation model was open, I said helium was doing fantastic with us.

‘The lone happening I cognize is he’s signing a caller declaration – I don’t cognize however galore years.

‘I’m precise happy. Nicolas is doing a fantastic occupation with us. He scored again. He had much chances but we’re blessed with him.’

MORE : Adrien Rabiot’s cause slammed implicit ‘incompetence’ aft failed Manchester United transfer

MORE : Enzo Maresca afloat of praise for Chelsea’s ‘fantastic’ £51m summertime signing

MORE : David Seaman praises ‘brilliant’ Arsenal prima contempt reddish paper contention against Tottenham

This tract is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.