One of those is Nicolas Jackson. The Senegal international joined from Villarreal at the end of June and was a standout performer during our pre-season tour of the USA.

And with the help of Opta data from our trio of Summer Series fixtures against Premier League opposition, we take a closer look at what Jackson can bring to Mauricio Pochettino’s side when the real stuff begins…

Constant movement

Perhaps the aspect of Jackson’s game that most caught the eye stateside was his movement, both on and off the ball.

The striker posed a dual threat to opposition defenders. As well as having the pace to run behind, as he did so effectively for his clinical finishes against both Brighton and Newcastle, Jackson was also more than happy to drop deep.

From there, he could hold the ball up and link our play, in turn allowing more of his teammates to get higher up the pitch.

His touch map during his 45 minutes against Newcastle highlights that willingness to be involved in busier central positions to help draw defenders in, and use our array of wide options to build attacks.

It is not only through the middle that Jackson likes to operate. Against Brighton – as shown by the heat map below – he drifted wide to create overloads in attack, and also started the press when the Seagulls’ defence were in possession.

Jackson may have only been on the pitch for half-an-hour but his impact was devastating, with with a goal and two assists.

Goal threat

The goal, an assured one-on-one finish, came from a run beyond a high line. With the timing key and the pace of Jackson clear, it is the sort of movement that could cause a traditionally high Liverpool backline problems this weekend.

Just as impressive were his assists. They showcased Jackson’s range of qualities. First, the smooth one-touch link-up with Mykhailo Mudryk, culminating in a perfectly weighted pass into the Ukrainian’s path.

Then, Jackson combined silk and steel to get the ball out of a tight spot in a packed penalty box. Three Brighton defenders descended on him, but he still succeeded in picking out Conor Gallagher, who had space to fire home.

Determined defensively

During his combined 120 minutes on the pitch against Brighton, Newcastle and Fulham, Jackson won five tackles. That is a high figure for an attacker.

His physicality and determination will stand him in good stead in the hustle and bustle of the Premier League, and his willingness to do the dirty side of the game will no doubt delight his manager, teammates and Blues fans.

One passage of play in the Newcastle game which subsequently went viral, above, is a good example of what we can expect from Jackson in the months ahead: tenacity, strength, speed and skill, along with movement which is bound to worry defences up and down the country.

Chelsea supporters have plenty to look forward to!