Merson's Blueprint: Alonso Must Resurrect Jackson to Fix Chelsea's Striker Crisis

Xabi Alonso's appointment as Chelsea manager offers a fresh start for the troubled west London outfit, and Arsenal legend Paul Merson reckons the Spaniard's opening gambit should involve a familiar face returning from Bavaria.

Jackson, currently on loan at Bayern Munich with a £70m purchase option hanging over the Bavarians' heads, should be Chelsea's priority acquisition, according to Merson. The move would address what has become an increasingly problematic void up front, with Liam Delap – signed from Ipswich Town for £30m last summer – managing just three goals and a single assist across 47 appearances this season.

The scale of Chelsea's underperformance cannot be overstated. After clinching fourth place last term and lifting the Club World Cup under Enzo Maresca's stewardship, the Blues have imploded spectacularly. A 2-1 defeat to Sunderland on the final day saw them plummet to 10th in the Premier League standings, eliminating any prospect of European football next season.

Maresca's sacking, alongside Liam Rosenior's departure, prompted Calum McFarlane to step into the breach as interim manager. Now Alonso, fresh from his Real Madrid tenure, takes the reins from 1 July.

Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Merson outlined his vision for Chelsea's revival. "They need a manager the fans are grateful to have," he explained, "and they've got that with Xabi Alonso – he's a top manager."

The former Gunner believes Jackson's return would unlock Palmer's potential. "Palmer made Jackson and Jackson made Palmer," Merson argued, suggesting the England midfielder's absence from World Cup consideration stems directly from his striking partner's struggles. "Delap is out of his depth," he continued, while noting that Joao Pedro's tendency to drift towards midfield undermines the team's structure – the Portuguese talent is fundamentally a number ten rather than a conventional forward.

Merson's tactical blueprint centres on a back-three system, with Reece James, Marc Cucurella and Malo Gusto providing attacking thrust from defence, supported by holding midfielders Enzo Fernández and Moises Caicedo. "That will suit Xabi Alonso," he suggested. "They could be a good team but they need some experience."

Reece James himself acknowledged the scale of the reckoning required. Following the Sunderland debacle, the captain admitted: "It's been far below our standards and we need to review and see where we can improve. Just saying it doesn't sound right – we're a club that has won European trophies and this season we haven't even qualified."

James pinpointed the familiar failing: profligacy in front of goal. "We had chances in the first half and we didn't take them," he reflected. "If we had converted, the game would have been different." It's a refrain that has soundtracked Chelsea's entire campaign – and Jackson's presence might just be the antidote Alonso needs.