Chelsea and Bayern Munich have reportedly reached an agreement over a loan deal for striker Nicolas Jackson, whom the Blues could make a significant profit on.
The Senegal international had been frozen out of Enzo Maresca's squad following the signings of Liam Delap and Joao Pedro, both of whom are expected to start Saturday's Premier League West London derby with Fulham.
As a result, an exit during the summer transfer window was seen as an inevitability for Jackson, who reportedly had suitors both in the Premier League and abroad.
Aston Villa and Newcastle United were both credited with an interest in the former Villarreal attacker, whom the latter had identified as a potential Alexander Isak replacement, but a deal never got off the ground.
Instead, Newcastle are on the brink of signing Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart, while Villa boss Unai Emery has seemingly decided against pursuing a reunion with his erstwhile Villarreal colleague too.
Loan and buy option details revealed as Bayern 'agree' Jackson deal with Chelsea
Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson pictured on July 8, 2025
Bayern therefore jumped to the head of the queue for Jackson's signature, and according to Fabrizio Romano, a deal has now been agreed between the Blues and the Bavarians on an initial loan move.
Bayern will supposedly pay €15m (£13m) to take Jackson on a temporary basis for the 2025-26 season, and the Bundesliga champions have the option to make his stay permanent for €65m (£56.2m) at the end of the campaign.
Should Vincent Kompany's side decide to activate that clause, Chelsea would receive a total package worth €80m (£69.2m) for a player they paid €37m (£32m) for in 2023 - a major profit of £37.2m.
The 24-year-old is now poised to fly to Bavaria with his agent in order to complete his medical, sign his contract and undertake his media duties as a new Bayern player, as he prepares to battle Harry Kane for minutes at the tip of Kompany's attack.
Jackson - who is still under contract at Chelsea until the summer of 2033 - has registered 30 goals and 12 assists in 81 matches for the Blues in all competitions, winning the Conference League and Club World Cup during his two years in the English capital.
Jackson to Bayern transfer: Where did it go wrong for striker at Chelsea?
Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson in action on April 20, 2025
Making the move to Stamford Bridge after just one breakthrough season at Villarreal was a massive leap for Jackson, whose profligacy and indiscipline sometimes marred his early days in a Chelsea shirt, but he ended his first campaign with a respectable set of numbers.
The Senegalese striker had a direct hand in 23 goals in 44 appearances during 2023-24 - 17 of his own and six assists - before also averaging a contribution every two Premier League games during the 2024-25 season.
However, while Jackson appeared to be coming into his own in Enzo Maresca's system, there was always that lingering feeling that Chelsea needed to pursue a big-name number nine a la Victor Osimhen; that move did not work out, but Delap and Pedro have significantly strengthened the club's central options.
Then came the Club World Cup, where Jackson started and provided an assist against Los Angeles FC in Chelsea's opener, but his senseless red card against Flamengo in the next game spelled the end of his Blues career.
Jackson played just another 30 minutes in the United States after that dismissal, but if Bayern do opt to trigger his permanent option in 2026, the Chelsea transfer chiefs have pulled off another masterstroke.
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