Nicolas Jackson was left out of Chelsea’s two pre-season games against AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen.
Joao Pedro and Liam Delap both played in those two matches, with their arrivals at the club earlier this summer throwing Jackson‘s future into doubt.
An exit now looks like the most likely outcome for the striker, who has been linked with several different clubs.
It had been claimed that Bayern Munich had enquired about signing Jackson, but the German club have since dismissed those rumours.
Nicolas Jackson of Chelsea controls the ball whilst under pressure from Dan Burn of Newcastle United
Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
Nicolas Jackson training alone
Jackson is nowhere near the first-team picture right now, so the 24-year-old will want a move this summer if possible.
According to The Telegraph, Jackson has been training on his own as he moves closer to an exit.
Those interested in signing the Senegal international during this transfer window will have to offer Chelsea big money.
It is thought that Chelsea’s current valuation of Jackson is £80m, £1m more than what Liverpool paid to sign Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt.
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Jackson has not done a terrible job leading the line at Stamford Bridge. He scored 13 goals in all competitions last season and 17 the campaign before.
For a young striker still developing, they are not the worst numbers. But Chelsea clearly felt they could upgrade on that with their purchases of Pedro and Delap.
Liam Delap replaces Nicolas Jackson as a substitute in Chelsea's Club World Cup win against Los Angeles FC.
Photo by Michael Regan – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
Nicolas Jackson wants Newcastle United move
It has been claimed that Jackson would love to play under Unai Emery again after working with him at Villarreal.
However, The Telegraph’s report states that his preference is to join Newcastle United if he is to leave west London.
Any potential move to St James’ Park, though, is likely to hinge on the future of Alexander Isak. If he does not get his own transfer before the market closes, then that could prevent the Magpies from making a swoop for Jackson.
Jackson really needs to leave Chelsea, though. With the form that Pedro is in and the impact that Delap has been making from off the bench, he will not see much game time under Enzo Maresca this season.