Aston Villa Nears Deal for Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson
Aston Villa are closing in on a deal for Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson in a move that could reshape both clubs’ forward lines – and send Ollie Watkins to Saudi Arabia.
Villa are understood to have reached a broad agreement with Chelsea on a package worth up to £65m for the 25-year-old Senegal international. The structure is clear: an initial £47.5m, with a further £17.5m in add-ons that would see Chelsea hit their asking price.
The final hurdle is Jackson’s side of the contract. Personal terms still need to be agreed, but talks are advanced and there is confidence the move will go through. If it does, it is expected to open the door for Watkins to join Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League, a move that would have been unthinkable for Villa fans only a few months ago.
For Jackson, it would be a reunion as much as a transfer. He previously worked under Unai Emery at Villarreal, where his pace and direct running first caught wider attention. Emery pushed for him then; he is pushing for him again now.
Villa's Rebuild
Villa’s rebuild under Emery has been relentless this summer. Jackson would follow record signing Johan Manzambi, midfielder Joao Gomes, goalkeeper Zion Suzuki and defender Matteo Ruggeri through the door. The squad is being sharpened, retooled, made younger and more aggressive.
The cost of that evolution has been brutal for the heroes of May. If Watkins leaves, Villa will have sold five members of the starting XI that lifted the Europa League. Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, Lucas Digne and Ezri Konsa have already gone, with goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez also expected to depart.
Chelsea's Moves
Chelsea, sensing opportunity, are weighing up a move for Martinez. Suzuki’s arrival from Parma has changed the goalkeeping landscape at Villa Park and left the World Cup winner classed as expendable in Emery’s new structure.
Jackson arrives at this crossroads with a busy recent history. Chelsea signed him from Villarreal for £35m in 2023, and he went on to score 30 goals in 81 appearances for the London club. He tasted global competition with the Blues, featuring most recently against Fluminense at the Club World Cup in 2025, and collected European silverware in the Europa Conference League.
Last season he spent the year on loan at Bayern Munich, where he scored 11 times in 34 games and helped them win the Bundesliga title. Chelsea received a £14.3m loan fee for that deal, which also included an obligation to buy for £56.2m. That clause never activated because Jackson fell short of the threshold of 40 appearances of at least 45 minutes.
Now Chelsea are ready to cash in properly. Jackson’s departure is part of a wider attacking reshuffle. Fellow striker Liam Delap is also set to move on, with Nottingham Forest agreeing a £50m fee for the forward.
The recruitment drive at Stamford Bridge continues at the other end of the pitch. Chelsea have been in talks with Atalanta over 18-year-old defender Honest Ahanor, who is valued at £34.3m by the Italian club, as they look to add another high-potential piece to their back line.
If Jackson walks out at Villa Park in claret and blue, Watkins boards a plane to Riyadh and Martinez follows the money to west London, this won’t just be another summer of business. It will be a hard reset for a Europa League-winning side and a clear statement of how ruthless the modern elite game has become.
