Nicolas Jackson is keen on a move from Chelsea to Aston Villa, where he could reunite with former manager Unai Emery. The 25-year-old Senegal international spent last season on loan at Bayern Munich after falling down the pecking order at Chelsea.
Jackson's Chelsea Career and Loan Spell
Jackson joined Chelsea from Villarreal in 2023 and played regularly for two seasons, scoring 30 goals in 81 appearances. However, the signings of Joao Pedro and Liam Delap meant he was unlikely to play much last season, leading to a loan move to Bayern Munich. In Bavaria, he made 34 appearances in all competitions, scoring 11 times, but could not dislodge Harry Kane in the starting XI. He won the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal with Bayern.
Interest from Aston Villa and Emery Reunion
Emery is keen on reuniting with Jackson, having worked with him at Villarreal, where the forward first rose to prominence. Jackson joined Villarreal from Casa Sports in Senegal in 2019 and impressed enough to earn his £32m move to Chelsea four years later. His final season at Villarreal, which started under Emery, saw him score 12 times in 26 La Liga games. According to the Daily Mail, Jackson is interested in the move to Villa Park to work with Emery again.
Transfer Hurdles and Valuation
While Aston Villa are interested and the player is open to the move, Chelsea's valuation of the player is likely to harm the chances of a deal. The BBC report that Chelsea have slapped a £65m asking price on the forward, which seems steep for a player who has failed to convince either Chelsea or Bayern that he should be in their teams. New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has left the door open for Jackson to impress him over the summer, with the forward set to join the pre-season tour to Australia and Asia.
Champions League and Competition at Villa
If Jackson were to move to Aston Villa, he would have Champions League football, which Chelsea cannot offer, but would also face stiff competition for a place in the starting XI. Ollie Watkins remains first choice up front for the Europa League winners, with Tammy Abraham also pushing for a place in Emery's team.
