Nicolas Jackson is determined to remain at Chelsea and compete for a starting spot under new manager Xabi Alonso, according to reports. The Senegal international has attracted interest from Aston Villa and Newcastle United, but he is said to be keen to stay at Stamford Bridge.
Jackson's Chelsea journey and loan spell
Jackson joined Chelsea from Villarreal for £32 million in June 2023 and scored 24 goals in his first two Premier League seasons. However, following the arrivals of Joao Pedro and Liam Delap last summer, he was loaned to Bayern Munich, where he served primarily as backup to Harry Kane. After that underwhelming spell in Germany, the 25-year-old has returned to Chelsea but faces an uncertain future.
This summer, Chelsea have further strengthened their attacking options with the signings of Emmanuel Emegha and Danny Welbeck, increasing competition for places. The club is expected to offload some players in the coming weeks to streamline Alonso's squad.
Transfer interest and valuation
Chelsea are reportedly valuing Jackson at £65 million, with Aston Villa and Newcastle United both making approaches for the striker. However, according to The Sun, Jackson is hoping to stay and fight for his place as Chelsea aim to return to the Champions League after a disappointing tenth-place finish last campaign. The report adds that Jackson has 'enjoyed' working under Alonso and is keen to continue if given the opportunity.
Speaking earlier in pre-season about Jackson's future, Alonso said: 'Yes, Nico is a great player. He's a threat to play against any defence, so we want to have players that can compete, and Nico for sure is one of them. We need to go day by day checking options, but we are happy that Nico is with us.'
Alonso also hinted at squad trimming, adding: 'We need proper balance in terms of qualities, in terms of positions, in terms of balance. We want to have a complete squad and we want to make a good team.'
Potential reunion with Emery and external interest
Aston Villa could still make a bid for Jackson, which would reunite him with Unai Emery, his former manager at Villarreal. Meanwhile, former Manchester United striker Quinton Fortune has urged the Red Devils to consider signing Jackson to support Benjamin Sesko up front.
Fortune told Premier Bet: 'He's coming off his loan at Bayern Munich and keeps getting clubs so he must have something. I see him as more of a goal poacher. If you look at the purest of the pure footballers, he's not a striker to bring it down and play it like Dimitar Berbatov or Wayne Rooney or Dwight Yorke but that's what I like about him too. He's just an out-and-out striker. He doesn't really care about anything else apart from getting into the box and getting on the end of whatever service he's provided, and there's nothing wrong with that. That's still the hardest part of the game. He's almost like Erling Haaland at times and he shouldn't get involved in the play so much. Tell the other guys they can do all the hard work and I'll score the goals. Whether he's right for United, I don't know about that, but you don't play for Chelsea and Bayern Munich if you haven't got something about you.'
Jackson's immediate future remains uncertain, but he is reportedly focused on proving himself at Chelsea. The club's decision on whether to sell or keep him will likely depend on Alonso's squad plans and any incoming bids before the transfer window closes.
