The new signing is well on the way to proving the doubters wrong.

Matty Cash reckons Nicolas Jackson is more than living up to his price tag after hitting the ground running at Villa.

The striker joined from Chelsea in August for a deal which could eventually be worth a club record £65million.

And the Senegal international has quickly endeared himself to both fans and team-mates by scoring seven goals in his first 12 appearances, including six in his last six matches.

Cash believes Jackson is now showing his true capability after an inconsistent three years at Stamford Bridge.

He said: “He’s hit the ground running. It’s a big price tag but he’s a big player as well.

“When you have that quality you bring that price tag to you, don’t you?

“For him, I think he’s an amazing striker. He did really well at Chelsea. I don’t think he got the chance that he deserved really, from when I was watching as an outsider.

“But now playing with him and seeing him, he’s a quality striker.”

Jackson, one of 10 new signings in a summer of big change at Villa Park, netted once in his first five appearances before his season sparked into life.

“I have seen it (in training),” continued Cash. “When he first came in, he was finding his feet like all of the boys.

“He had a little bit of a pre-season at Chelsea but not much.”

Villa are back in action on Wednesday night when they visit Bournemouth in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.