"Where he needs to improve, I will definitely say it" - John Obi Mikel responds to Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson telling him to 'shut up'

John Obi Mikel has responded to Nicolas Jackson's tirade in which he told the Chelsea legend to shut his mouth. The Senegalese frontman was irritated by the Nigerian's recent comments regarding his lack of goalscoring prowess.

Jackson opened the scoring in the Blues' 6-2 mauling of Wolverhampton Wanderers (August 25). He also provided an assist and showed vast improvement from a frustrating showing in a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City (August 18).

Mikel highlighted Jackson's missed chances in the season-opening loss to City. He also analyzed the 23-year-old's shooting technique, which didn't go down well with the player.

Jackson hit back at him on Sunday with a furious post on Instagram. He wrote:

"(Mikel) shut your mouth don't talk s**t, we are killing ourselves for Africa."

Mikel responded to this comment on his The Obi One podcast and insisted that Jackson has the qualities of a player he likes. He said:

"I really like the guy as a football player, there's something there as a football player. I haven't said that he's a bad player at all. I've just said that his finishing qualities, it's not there yet."

Chelsea have been linked with Napoli's Victor Osimhen throughout this summer. Mikel said he was suggesting a new striker come to the club to help Jackson:

"All I've said is that he needs a more kind of experienced striker to come into the football club, to help him, to help him improve, to help him get better because we all know, we can all see the shift he puts in week in week out."

Mikel concluded by explaining how he will analyze Jackson moving forward while laughing off the striker's outburst:

"If he plays well I will praise him, if there is something to be said about him where he needs to improve, I will definitely say it. If he scores every week and tells me to shut up, I'll take it."

Jackson joined Chelsea from Villarreal last summer for a reported £32 million. He's encountered a topsy-turvy spell at Stamford Bridge, managing 18 goals and seven assists in 46 games across competitions.

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"So be it" - Enzo Maresca on which position he sees Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson in

Jackson has displayed versatility during his spell with the west Londoners, playing on the wing occasionally last season. This has heightened talk of the club strengthening with a new prolific center-forward signing this summer.

New Chelsea boss Enzo Marsesca gave his take on Jackson and what position he predominantly sees him in. The Italian said earlier this month (via transfer expert Fabrizio Romano):

"In terms of his position, I see Nico Jackson as a 9. If we need him for some games as a winger so be it… but I view him as a striker."

Maresca's other striker options include Christopher Nkunku and Armando Broja although the latter could leave before deadline day. Jackson is unlikely to be required on the wing this season, with Joao Felix and Pedro Neto joining a stacked pool of wingers.