Atletico Madrid are “closely” following Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson as they weigh up potential replacements for Julian Alvarez, according to reports.
Alvarez is believed to be unhappy with life in Madrid, and he has been linked with a transfer to Chelsea, in addition to Arsenal and Barcelona.
Whether Jackson could be used as a makeweight in talks may depend on Alvarez’s interest in a move back to the Premier League.
It is believed that his preference would be to remain in Spain and join Barca, although there are doubts over whether the Catalan club could fund a bid for the Argentinian international,
What is the situation with Jackson?
The Senegalese international is currently on loan at Bayern Munich, but the Bundesliga champions have already decided that they will not be keeping the player.
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They would have to pay €65m (£57m) to make the deal permanent, which is a very high fee for someone who has only been a rotation option. With that being the case, Jackson is now set to return to Stamford Bridge when the loan spell comes to an end.
WiwSport.com claim that Atletico could well make an approach in the summer, with the player still expected to leave the Blues, even if Bayern do not want him.
How much would Chelsea sell the striker for?
Last summer, Jackson was valued at around £70m, and that was reflected in the £13m loan fee that Bayern agreed to pay, in addition to the aforementioned purchase clause.
Whether Chelsea would demand less from Atletico may depend on the competition for the 24-year-old’s signature.
It is believed that there are other Premier League teams, as well as Turkish Super Lig sides, keen on purchasing Jackson, so that could help maintian the player’s asking price, once he returns from Bayern in July.
Read more about the Chelsea First Team Squad for 2025/26 here