Aston Villa are reportedly weighing up the option of a transfer swoop for Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson ahead of the summer transfer window deadline.
With Jacob Ramsey joining Newcastle United and Leon Bailey on the verge of a switch to Roma, Unai Emery’s attacking options are seemingly dwindling with the deadline fast approaching on September 1.
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Given Villa are set to compete on multiple fronts again this season, the Basque coach will likely want more competition and depth to ensure he has alternative tactical solutions, but the club have to balance that with continuing to put ourselves in a position where we’ll be able to comply with financial regulations from UEFA.
According to The Telegraph though, we’re exploring a move for Jackson but the structure of the proposal will be crucial as we’re not in a position to satisfy Chelsea’s £60m+ valuation of the Senegalese international.
Instead, it would likely be a more feasible negotiation if we were to take him on an initial loan with an option or obligation to buy included in the agreement, while it’s suggested that his £100,000-a-week wages will be manageable for the club amid increased scrutiny over our finances moving forward.
The expectation is that we’ll face competition for the 24-year-old’s signature, and so with the latter stages of the window upon us, we’ll likely get our answers sooner rather than later as to whether or not this is a realistic option to bolster our attack.
Emery knows Jackson from their previous stint working together at Villarreal, where he scored 13 goals and provided six assists in 48 appearances for the senior side.
Since joining Chelsea, he’s bagged 30 goals and 12 assists in 81 outings, and although he has shown a questionable temperament at times and a lack of a clinical edge in front of goal, there is no doubt that he’s a talented player with the capability of being a decisive figure in the final third with plenty of room for improvement.
Crucially, the Telegraph also report that Villa are adamant that Ollie Watkins will not be sold to facilitate and fund the arrival of a new striker, as the strategy is to add a reinforcement who can add competition and depth, and perhaps even play alongside the Villa talisman.
With time ticking down this summer, it’s imperative that Villa try to bring in quality additions to strengthen the squad, as it’s been a contentious period where we’ve arguably gotten weaker due to the exits we’ve seen materialise.
If we can hold on to the squad as it is, add one or two pieces to raise the level of the group, we’ll hopefully have enough to make a run at returning to the Champions League next season, while also ending our wait for a trophy. Time will tell if Jackson will be part of that push or not.
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