Chelsea are now reportedly open to the idea of selling Nicolas Jackson, with a valuation apparently set between £47million and £51m for the Senegalese forward.
Since joining from Villarreal for £32m, Jackson's time at Stamford Bridge has had plenty of peaks and troughs. After contributing a great assist for Pedro Neto in the 2-0 Club World Cup victory over LAFC, Jackson was sent off after four minutes of being on the pitch during the Blues' 3-1 defeat to Flamengo.
He was dismissed for a dangerous lunge on Ayrton Lucas, which gave Blues fans flashbacks to his red card in the defeat to Newcastle United in May, which saw him elbow Sven Botman.
It was believed that Jackson was seen as an 'untouchable' player in the eyes of the Chelsea hierarchy, who even extended his contract last September until 2033, just over a year on from his arrival in England from Spain.
But with new recruit Liam Delap recently joining from Ipswich Town for £30m, Jackson's long-term place in the team appears uncertain.
Gianluca Di Marzio has claimed Juventus have had exploratory conversations regarding the striker, who boasts 30 goals and 12 assists from 80 outings for the Blues.
Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano has now reported that Chelsea will demand a "high price", thought to be in the region of £47m to £51m for the forward, but Italian sides are expected to try and drive this price down, despite his long-term deal at Stamford Bridge.
Serie A title-holders Napoli, who are under the guidance of former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, are also said to be tracking Jackson's situation.
Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson reacts to getting a red card as he walks off the pitch during the Club World Cup Group D soccer match between Flamengo and Chelsea in Philadelphia, Friday, June 20, 2025
Nicolas Jackson has two red cards in his last four matches (Image: AP)
In his last four matches, Jackson has seen a mixed bag of outcomes. He got a straight red card against Newcastle, a goal in the Europa Conference League final, a notable assist for Neto against LAFC and then another direct dismissal vs Flamengo.
This erratic form might jeopardise his tenure at Chelsea. Premier League record goalscorer Alan Shearer criticised Jackson's rash challenge against LAFC, labelling it as "stupid". While speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, Shearer said: "What was he thinking?
"It happened against Newcastle, I remember it really well. And then he made the apology, and then it happens again. He's not a youngster anymore. There's a time where you think, 'This is not acceptable.' That cannot happen again.
"If that happens once, okay, you say, 'Hands up,' he's made an error. But then it happens twice and you think, 'Is there an issue here? Is there a problem with his attitude or his mentality?'
Nicolas Jackson of Chelsea FC is shown a red card by referee Ivan Barton during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group D match between CR Flamengo and Chelsea FC at Lincoln Financial Field on June 20, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Nicolas Jackson's red card occurred just as Chelsea conceded their second goal against Flamengo (Image: Getty Images)
"So this cannot happen again at Chelsea. He is 24, he's not a youngster, he's got to learn."
Jackson will not feature in the Blues' crucial Club World Cup match against Tunisian outfit Espérance Sportive de Tunis, scheduled for 2am Wednesday UK time. Enzo Maresca's side need to avoid defeat to progress into the knockout stages.
He is also set to miss Chelsea's opening Premier League fixture of the 2025/26 season at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday, August 17 – assuming he remains with the club until then.
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Chelsea flag prior the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Leg One match between Chelsea FC and Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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