Both Neville and Pochettino believe in Jackson's potential for development and his ability to contribute to Chelsea's future success.

Gary Neville has defended Nicolas Jackson and praised the Chelsea striker for his positive debut season in the Premier League. The 22-year-old joined Stamford Bridge from Villarreal last summer in a deal worth around £30 million and has scored 13 goals in 39 appearances for the Blues.

Despite facing criticism following Chelsea's 1-0 FA Cup semi-final defeat against Manchester City, where he missed several scoring opportunities, Neville believes Jackson has performed well in his first season in England. He sees potential for Jackson to continue contributing to Mauricio Pochettino's team, even if he isn't the first-choice No. 9 next season.

"I actually like Nicolas Jackson. That might be an unpopular opinion on here, but I like him," said Neville on the Gary Neville podcast. "I think he has a lot to give. It's his first full season in the Premier League, he's scored quite a few goals, and he keeps going."

Neville praised Chelsea's overall performance against Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final, acknowledging that if they had a more consistent finisher than Jackson, they might have won the game.

He also highlighted the importance of Chelsea making strategic signings, particularly in key positions like striker, centre-back to replace Thiago Silva, and goalkeeper, to strengthen the team for the next season.

Mauricio Pochettino echoed support for Jackson, emphasizing his contributions and the challenges faced by a young striker adapting to new circumstances and missing key offensive players due to injuries.

Overall, both Neville and Pochettino see potential in Jackson's development and contributions to Chelsea's future success.