Nicolas Jackson has admitted that he almost joined Aston Villa before his move to Chelsea in 2023.
The Senegal international moved to west London after Chelsea splashed £32m on the former Villarreal forward. After a difficult first season in England, Jackson has found his feet in 2024/25.
The speedy centre-forward has scored eight times and provided a further three assists in 14 Premier League outings and has blossomed into a deadly finisher despite struggling with profligacy in his debut campaign with the Blues.
However, Jackson has revealed that his career could have gone in a completely different direction.
The 23-year-old first made a name for himself at Villarreal in 2022/23 under now Aston Villa manager Unai Emery and the Spanish coach was keen to bring Jackson to Villa Park during the 2023 January transfer window. However, a move broke down due to a hamstring injury the striker was suffering with at the time.
Nicolas Jackson, Unai Emery, Yeremi Pino
Nicolas Jackson and Unai Emery worked together in Spain / Soccrates Images/GettyImages
"When Unai left, he wanted me to go to Aston Villa, but I was injured," Jackson admitted. "I wanted to leave because the coach came in. I had to go, but I was injured a little bit in my hamstring. We went there, they checked and said I needed one more month and they want me now.
"If they want me in one week, two weeks, I was not ready, so they had to cancel the transfer, and I went back.
"When I went back, I was very angry. Not angry I didn't sign because when we were on the plane, I told my friend, 'Don't worry, better things will come and that's life.' Then I started working more to play with Villarreal. When I came back, I think I scored 12 goals in two months."
A £21m move to Bournemouth had also been agreed during that January window but his hamstring injury resulted in Jackson failing the medical on the south coast.
In the end, the forward didn't have to wait long before securing his move to the Premier League, with Chelsea signing him in the subsequent summer window.
Despite being much-maligned during his first campaign with Chelsea, Jackson still finished the season with 17 goals in 44 appearances, and the young forward looks likely to better that tally this term.
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