Aston Villa are leading the race for the signature of Chelsea misfit Nicolas Jackson, amidst interest from Newcastle United.
According to Pete O’Rourke via Football Insider, Aston Villa are in pole position to sign Nicolas Jackson, who is no longer a part of Enzo Maresca’s plans at Chelsea. The Blues are ready to sanction his departure, and Villa have a massive advantage thanks to Unai Emery’s strong relationship with the Senegalese international.
Jackson came up the ranks at Villarreal and made a name for himself while playing for their first team before joining the Blues in the summer of 2023. While he has done a decent job for the London club, he failed to cement his spot in the team.
Jackson’s time at Chelsea is coming to an end
Since Chelsea were not convinced about him being their long-term striker, they ended up signing Joao Pedro and Liam Delap this summer. Their arrival has pushed Jackson way down the pecking order, and the Blues are now ready to cash in on him despite him having eight years left on his £100,000-a-week contract.
While speaking about his future, O’Rourke said: “There’ll be a number of clubs looking at Nicolas Jackson in the last days of the transfer window”,
“He’s out of favour at Chelsea, well down the pecking order, they have given him the green light to go, and there’s obvious links between Jackson and Unai Emery.
“Emery gave [Jackson] his La Liga debut at Villarreal, the two of them both have a good relationship, and Emery is hoping that will give his team the advantage as they follow up their interest in Jackson.
“It’s a deal they are working on and an agreement is a high possibility. Villa are in pole position.”
With the 24-year-old available, multiple top clubs have expressed interest in his services. Aston Villa and Newcastle United are two top English clubs that want to sign the Chelsea striker. The Magpies are in desperate need of a new number nine following the departure of Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak’s uncertain future.
Aston Villa are leading the race for Jackson
Meanwhile, Villa are believed to be front-runners for the signature of the Senegalese international. While they will struggle to meet Chelsea’s £60 million, Jackson’s strong bond with Emery could help their cause.
The Spanish manager handed him his debut at Villarreal back in the day, and he feels the 24-year-old could be a great acquisition for both the short and long run.
Jackson has reportedly told his friends that he would love to move to Villa Park this summer, and now the ball seems to be in Villa’s court. PSR concerns have forced them to sanction the departure of Jacob Ramsey, and now they might look to cash in on Ollie Watkins to make room for Jackson.
While they can certainly afford his wages, the price tag might still be a touch on the higher side. They will be hoping to negotiate a lower fee, but that looks unlikely as Chelsea have already lowered their demands once.