Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has received feedback indicating that Conor Gallagher, Nicolas Jackson, and Lesley Ugochukwu are ‘not good enough’ to be starting for the Blues frequently. With only four Premier League victories this season, Pochettino has presided over a miserable start to his tenure in west London, as Chelsea have been mired in mid-table.

The west Londoners suffered their most recent loss at the hands of Newcastle last Saturday, who ran rampant to earn a 4-1 triumph despite having Reece James sent off in the second half. Steve Nicol, a former Liverpool defender, was quite critical of Gallagher, Jackson, and Ugochukwu. He stated following the game that none of them were talented enough to play for Chelsea.

According to Nicol, who is a pundit for ESPN, the squad is meant to be in the top four, but they have players playing who shouldn’t be. Jackson and Gallagher aren’t good enough to play up front, you know. I don’t think Ugochukwu is good enough; he proved that today.

The England star has started every league game for the Blues this season, solidifying his position as one of Pochettino’s most trusted players. Although Ugochukwu has mostly played off the bench, he started against Newcastle after seeing extensive playing time as a central striker. Jackson has also played a significant role in this.

Whether Chelsea plans to bolster their roster for the second half of the season through the January transfer window is an open question. With the summer signings of Jackson and Ugochukwu, who cost a combined £58 million, they have become the Premier League’s highest spenders in the past two seasons.

The Blues have been associated with a number of potential targets, such as Joao Neves, a midfielder for Benfica, and Victor Osimhen, an attacker for Napoli. When the transfer window opens at the beginning of the year, Chelsea will have their pick of Jackson and Ugochukwu, but whether or not they make the move to Stamford Bridge is anyone’s guess.

The Nigerian striker is generally considered one of Europe’s most prolific marksmen, and the Telegraph reports that Pochettino has singled him out as his primary attacking target. Napoli will demand a premium sum to sell him, especially in the middle of the season, even though he is reportedly open to a transfer away from the club soon.

And if Chelsea are successful in their January pursuit of Neves, who has attracted a lot of attention thanks to his play for Benfica, they will be adding another pricey addition to their roster. Benfica is expected to want the full amount of Neves’ release clause—worth roughly £104 million—in exchange for his signature next year, according to Portuguese source Record.