Aston Villa Close in on Nicolas Jackson Deal

Aston Villa are closing in on a deal for Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson in a move that could reshape Unai Emery’s attack – and rip up the core of Villa’s Europa League-winning side.

The clubs have reached broad agreement on a package worth up to £65m for the 25-year-old, with Chelsea set to get what they wanted: £47.5m up front and a further £17.5m in add-ons. The final hurdle is personal terms, but talks are advanced and there is growing expectation Jackson will reunite with Emery, the coach who first trusted him at Villarreal.

If that happens, the dominoes start to fall.

Watkins exit on the horizon

Jackson’s arrival is expected to clear the way for Ollie Watkins to leave for Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League, a move that would have been unthinkable for Villa fans just a few months ago.

Watkins has been the face of Villa’s rise under Emery, yet his potential departure would continue a ruthless overhaul of a team that only recently conquered Europe. Should he go, Villa will have sold five members of the starting XI that lifted the Europa League in May.

• Morgan Rogers
• Youri Tielemans
• Lucas Digne
• Ezri Konsa

Emiliano Martinez is also expected to move on, with Chelsea considering a bid for the Argentina goalkeeper after signing Zion Suzuki from Parma and effectively pushing Martinez towards the exit.

This is not a tweak. It is a tear-down and rebuild.

Emery’s new-look Villa

Jackson would join a wave of new faces in Birmingham. Villa have already landed record signing Johan Manzambi, midfielder Joao Gomes, goalkeeper Zion Suzuki and defender Matteo Ruggeri as Emery reshapes his squad for the next phase.

Jackson fits the profile: young, athletic, proven in major leagues and European competition. Chelsea paid £35m to bring him from Villarreal in 2023 and he went on to score 30 goals in 81 appearances for the Blues, winning the Europa Conference League and featuring in the Club World Cup, with his last appearance coming against Fluminense in 2025.

Last season he took another step, heading to Bayern Munich on loan. He scored 11 times in 34 games and helped Bayern reclaim the Bundesliga title. Chelsea collected a £14.3m loan fee, but an obligation to buy for £56.2m never kicked in because Jackson fell short of the required 40 appearances of at least 45 minutes.

Now Villa are ready to pay big to make him their spearhead.

Chelsea clear the decks

At Stamford Bridge, Jackson’s likely departure is part of a broader reshuffle of the forward line and back line.

Liam Delap is also on his way out, with Chelsea agreeing a £50m fee with Nottingham Forest for the striker. At the other end of the pitch, the club have been in talks with Atalanta over 18-year-old defender Honest Ahanor, valued at £34.3m by the Italian side, as they look to inject more youth into their back four.

Chelsea’s interest in Martinez underlines how quickly the goalkeeping hierarchy has shifted since Suzuki’s arrival from Parma. The World Cup winner is now seen as expendable, a remarkable status change for a player of his stature.

So the picture is clear. Villa are betting big that Jackson can become the new focal point of Emery’s evolving side. Chelsea are cashing in and resetting again.

The only question now is how different Villa will look when the new season kicks off – and how quickly Jackson can make them his team.