Every four years the World Cup offers a stage for players to reshape career trajectories and Nicolas Jackson arrives in 2026 needing one of those moments. The returning Chelsea loanee has seen a campaign of mixed returns: eight Bundesliga goals, half of them scored in the final five weeks of the season, and only 15 starts across the Bundesliga and Champions League compared with the 40 starts set out in his loan agreement.

That limited game time and intermittent productivity have left Jackson’s future at Chelsea unresolved. The tournament in Qatar could provide a platform to press his case to new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso or to attract interest elsewhere. Instead he has added another question mark.

Discipline has been a recurring issue. Late in 2024–25 Jackson received a red card 35 minutes into a costly Blues defeat against Newcastle United. He was sent off again two games into that year’s Club World Cup and barely featured afterwards, an episode that may have sealed his Chelsea fate in the eyes of then manager Enzo Maresca. This past season he missed two Bayern matches because of a red-card suspension precisely when he was being given opportunities to start.

In Senegal’s World Cup warmup friendly against Saudi Arabia this week, a 0–0 draw, Jackson was shown two quickfire yellow cards which equalled a red. The 24-year-old will not be forced to miss World Cup matches by that suspension, which will instead carry over to Senegal’s next friendly, but the manner of the dismissal is unhelpful. Recklessness and immaturity to be sent off in that way risk undermining the case he needs to make on the biggest stage.

Jackson’s situation is simple in its complexity: he needs minutes and impact, not interruptions. The World Cup remains available as an opportunity, but the red card in the warmup has made an already delicate reintegration at Chelsea more difficult and left his club future in limbo.

Xabi Alonso’s arrival at Chelsea has changed the mood around Stamford Bridge after a tumultuous 2025–26 campaign. The World Cup will distort the summer transfer market and tournament performances are likely to lift prices. Alonso appears to have more leeway than recent predecessors to shape the squad and the Blues have clear areas to address.

Mike Maignan
Mike Maignan has signed a contract extension with AC Milan since he was strongly linked with a move to Chelsea last summer. However, with the Rossoneri embarking on a great reset, the Blues may wish to try their luck once more as they search for a new No. 1.
Group stage matches: Senegal (June 16), Iraq (June 22), Norway (June 26)

James Trafford
There is plenty of interest in Manchester City’s James Trafford, with Chelsea one of several Premier League clubs linked. Trafford shone in the domestic cups for the Cityzens and will operate behind Jordan Pickford in the depth chart this summer. Something disastrous would have to happen for Trafford to play at this World Cup.
Group stage matches: Croatia (June 17), Ghana (June 23), Panama (June 27)

Joel Ordoñez
Ecuador arrive with a stout defence and Club Brugge’s Joel Ordoñez looks set to elevate his stock. A well rounded centre back with athleticism and ball-playing ability, he has only been tenuously linked to the Blues so far.
Group stage matches: Côte d’Ivoire (June 14), Curaçao (June 20), Germany (June 25)

Ousmane Diomande
Chelsea’s interest in Sporting CP defender Ousmane Diomande is long standing. The idea of the Ivorian arriving at Stamford Bridge has surfaced in recent windows and the World Cup could prompt a decisive move.
Group stage matches: Ecuador (June 14), Germany (June 20), Curaçao (June 26)

Jan Paul van Hecke
Jan Paul van Hecke looks to be on his way to Tottenham Hotspur, but a deal with Brighton & Hove Albion has not been completed. Previous managers liked Van Hecke at the Bridge and his passing out of defence would suit Alonso’s build-up approach.
Group stage matches: Japan (June 14), Sweden (June 20), Tunisia (June 26)

Valentín Barco
BlueCo got their hands on Valentín Barco last summer, joining Strasbourg. A year on, the versatile Argentinian is readying himself for a return to the Premier League. Barco previously made six appearances for Brighton as a teenager, and will now be a part of Alonso’s roster for 2026–27.
Group stage matches: Algeria (June 17), Austria (June 22), Jordan (June 28)

Lucas Bergvall
Chelsea made an ambitious approach for Spurs’ Lucas Bergvall in January and have kept tabs on the Swede since. Their survival probably rules out a summer move, but Bergvall remains one to watch.
Group stage matches: Tunisia (June 14), Netherlands (June 20), Japan (June 25)

Morgan Rogers
Morgan Rogers drew attention after a productive season with Aston Villa. He will have a major role for England this summer and Chelsea face competition given a lack of Champions League football.
Group stage matches: Croatia (June 17), Ghana (June 23), Panama (June 27)

Arda Güler
Xabi Alonso struggled to get a tune out of many players during his brief stint with Real Madrid, but one man who did respond was Arda Güler. It would take a mammoth offer to persuade Madrid to sell, but Güler may be swayed by Alonso’s presence in west London.
Group stage matches: Australia (June 13), Paraguay (June 19), United States (June 25)

Chelsea opted not to appoint Andoni Iraola as their manager after admiring his recent work but concluding his methods represented too sharp a break from the club’s preferred style. Club officials were reportedly impressed by Iraola, whose reputation rose during his final season with Bournemouth, but they were concerned about how the current squad would adapt to a very different tactical approach.

According to the report, Chelsea’s decision left them to pursue Alonso, with a deal agreed around two weeks before Liverpool required a new manager. That timetable removed the same doubts that affected Chelsea’s recruitment process.

The issue was not a lack of Premier League credential. Iraola had built a high-energy, aggressive Bournemouth side that finished comfortably above Chelsea, a fact that would not have gone unnoticed at Stamford Bridge. The fundamental problem, however, was fit. Under Maresca, and during the brief tenure of Rosenior, Chelsea emphasised possession-based football, prioritising passing and positional play. Those in charge at Chelsea favoured that direction and judged Iraola’s approach incompatible.

Iraola’s teams operate at the other end of the spectrum. At Bournemouth he delivered an intense pressing game and rapid transitional play. Those traits look far more aligned with Liverpool’s historical identity than with the possession-first blueprint preferred at Stamford Bridge.

That identity can be traced back to Jürgen Klopp, who instilled a so-called “heavy metal” approach built on energy, pressing and swift transitions. Liverpool shifted away from that model under Arne Slot, whose title-winning tenure ended amid visible unrest. Mohamed Salah went public calling for the return of “heavy metal” tactics, with a number of players showing their support.

Chelsea’s rejection of Iraola therefore reads as confirmation that fit matters as much as pedigree. For Liverpool, the same qualities that ruled Iraola out at Stamford Bridge appear to make him an encouraging match.