LONDON — Chelsea are prepared to consider significant offers for forward Nicolas Jackson during the current summer transfer window, despite the player being handed an opportunity to impress newly appointed manager Xabi Alonso during pre-season.
The 44-year-old Spanish tactician confirmed last week that Jackson is scheduled to join the club’s pre-season tour of Australia and Asia, following his international campaign with the Senegal national team at this summer’s World Cup.
Jackson returns to Stamford Bridge after Bayern Munich avoided triggering the £56.25 million (€65 million) obligation-to-buy clause embedded in his recent loan agreement. The German champions fell short of the specific appearance metrics required to mandate a permanent transfer, leaving the forward’s long-term future unresolved.
While Alonso remains open to evaluating the 25-year-old forward, Chelsea directors face an immediate directive to trim an oversized attacking department. Beside first-choice striker João Pedro, the squad features Liam Delap, who faces an uncertain future but remains eager to prove himself after an initial campaign disrupted by injuries and frequent managerial instability. Furthermore, Emmanuel Emegha has arrived from partner club Strasbourg; however, Chelsea’s unexpected failure to qualify for European competition has compromised plans to carry three senior strikers on the books.
This positional bottleneck forces Chelsea into a complex balancing act. Young prospect Marc Guiu is widely expected to be loaned out or sold, with one interested suitor revealing they were quoted a £25 million valuation for the Spain Under-21 international.
In contrast, Jackson is expected to command a valuation well in excess of double that amount. The club’s internal appraisal reflects his proven Premier League track record, highlighted by a highly successful debut season under Mauricio Pochettino following his arrival from Villarreal.
Aston Villa are long-term admirers of the forward, driven by manager Unai Emery’s familiarity with the player from their time together in La Liga. Additional interest is also developing from overseas clubs.
Nevertheless, because Chelsea are withholding a definitive public asking price and Alonso wishes to personally audit his forward options, the futures of Jackson and his fellow Stamford Bridge strikers are unlikely to be resolved imminently.
