EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson's nine months on loan at Bayern Munich were neither an overwhelming success nor a grotesque failure, but his performances in Germany and the situation at Chelsea leave both player and club with a big decision to make.
The question now is whether incoming Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso wants to mould the Stamford Bridge heavyweights into the kind of outfit that can become a context in which Jackson can thrive.
Jackson, now in North America at the FIFA World Cup, arrived in Bavaria as something of an awkward fit. He's not a natural penalty-box striker, not a ruthless finisher, not a like-for-like replacement for Harry Kane. This was no surprise.
He was never seen as a direct heir to Kane anyway, Bayern saw him as a transitional profile, capable of stretching games vertically, attacking space aggressively, and generally giving the German giants a chaos factor in the final third.
His value was in movement and intensity, rather than as a consistent goal threat. There were some memorable showings; the magnificent display in the 5-0 demolition of St. Pauli in April, or the goal to spark the Bayern 4-3 comeback victory over Mainz a few weeks later.
However, despite a late-season flurry of goals -- he ended the season with eight goals in 23 league outings -- Jackson didn't do enough to earn a permanent move to Bayern.
However, he did prove something: that he can still make a future for himself at the elite level if the environment, the structure and the expectations are aligned. Will he be able to prove that while with Senegal this month?
Why Jackson would suit Alonso
At Bayern, he showed what modern coaches increasingly value from centre forwards: pressing capacity, running the channels, carrying the ball in transition, and stabilising opposition defences.
His numbers reflected this contribution, and while he probably will never explode statistically at this level, he can be a player who can improve the rhythm and danger of a genuine European giant.
Jackson may actually fit Alonso's vision for strikers better than many may initially assume. At Bayer Leverkusen, as Alonso's team went undefeated as they won their first Bundesliga title, he consistently preferred mobile forwards capable of fluid movement across the frontline rather than pure poaches.
Even when Victor Boniface operated nominally as the No. 9, Leverkusen didn't function with a traditional central target man. The Nigerian pressed aggressively, created room for runners, attacked half-spaces and drifted wide to drag defenders out of position.
Patrik Schick, by contrast, more of a static focal point, often found himself marginalised during that title-winning campaign despite a superior goalscoring record, with Alonso preferring mobility, intensity and tactical flexibility in the biggest of games.
This is all great news for Jackson. Under Mauricio Pochettino and Enzo Maresca at Chelsea, the forward was judged primarily on his finishing.
Missed chances became his hallmark, clumsy touches his trademark, and while Chelsea often functioned better when Jackson's movement opened space for those around him, the forward's lack of finesse promptly made a mockery of those early parallels with Didier Drogba.
However, his willingness to vacate central areas created opportunities for Cole Palmer and Enzo Fernández between the lines, and while the former - in particular - benefitted from his presence, the lack a clear, consistent goalscorer made it harder for Jackson, as attention regularly returned to his failings.
If Alonso decides to emulate his Bayer system - where the likes of Florian Wirtz thrived from Jacksons chaos - then we'll again see the intensity, transitional intelligence and verticality that characterised that double-winning campaign.
Jackson appears a natural fit, and, comparing him with Chelsea's current forwards, could a case be made that he's in pole position to begin next season as Alonso's leading man?
Former Chelsea defender John Terry said at a pre-World Cup roundtable with SuperSport: "I think [Alonso] would be mad not to get him back for pre-season, get him around the place and have a look at him.
"I think he poses a real threat and he gives us a different option, because he makes runs behind as well, whereas João Pedro looks to link up. They can be a really good combination, I think.
"I think [Alonso] is going to be very broad in terms of everyone [having] a fresh start. I think he's going to have fresh eyes on the players and what he sees and what he feels."
Perhaps Marc Guiu is the closest in profile to an Alonso centre forward; he's aggressive, he's physical, he's committed, but remains technically raw, and doesn't have Jackson's intelligence of movement in and around the box.
João Pedro is the most superior technical option. He can move between the lines, receive possession under pressure, and change the pace of an attack due to speedy interplays with the forwards around him.
However, the Brazil international has neither Jackson's power, explosive running or threat in the transition. Joao Pedro can connect, but can he destabilise? He doesn't have the presence of a Boniface, or of his returning Senegal teammate.
Liam Delap's stock is low at the moment, after a debut Chelsea season in which he scored just one Premier League goal, and he has a lot to prove to Alonso if he's to convince the new coach that he can be an elite-level striker.
Looking at these three plus Jackson, is it not the West African who most closely represents a typical Alonso striker?
Chelsea's financial climate - they have missed out on European football entirely next season - also matters, although the exact consequences for Jackson are not yet clear.
Will he be seen as a potential asset for the club to raise funds, or will the lack of spending clout in the market make a player already on their books appear already more valuable than an outsider who requires a transfer fee?
He's useful enough to keep hold, young enough to improve under Alonso's guidance, but it would surprise no one if he's sacrificed in order to raise revenue.
Newcastle United are rumoured to be monitoring the situation, and they'd be a decent next move for the 24-year-old. The Magpies are yet to truly replace Alexander Isak, Yoane Wissa has not been a success, and Eddie Howe values pressing forward who attack space aggressively.
There would be little surprise either if there's interest from Saudi Arabia, particularly if Jackson can catch the eye at the World Cup.
The most compelling scenario, however, is that Alonso keeps Jackson at the club. Could Jackson be the next beneficiary of the Spaniard's vision and a collective structure that amplifies individual strengths?
Additional reporting by ESPN's Leonard Solms.
