Chelsea to agree problematic €76m transfer this week

Updated: 19 Aug 2026 16:46 BST | 4 min read

Tom Weber | Writer

Multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football and American soccer.

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Chelsea are determined to resolve the future of striker Nicolas Jackson before the week is out, and Aston Villa are the leading contenders to secure his arrival.

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The Senegal international is back at Stamford Bridge after Bayern Munich opted against taking up the purchase option in their loan deal. While Jackson might have hoped to revive his Chelsea career this summer, manager Xabi Alonso clearly has other ideas.

The 25-year-old has been told in no uncertain terms that he is surplus to requirements and instructed to find himself a new club. Having signed Danny Welbeck and Emmanuel Emegha this summer, Chelsea are determined to sell several strikers before the end of the window.

Current ETV

Nicolas Jackson

F (C)

Chelsea

Nicolas Jackson

F (C)

Chelsea

ETV Range

€32.1M - €39.3M

And according to TEAMtalk, they are keen to sort out Jackson's future in the next couple of days. Chelsea are said to be "pushing to finalise the future of Nicolas Jackson this week."

Aston Villa are currently the favourites to sign Jackson, with Unai Emery having previously worked with the striker at Villarreal. There are, however, several factors that could complicate a deal.

Jackson to Villa not a straightforward deal

Villa consider Jackson the perfect replacement for Ollie Watkins, whom they would ideally prefer to keep. However, the England star is keen on a move to Al-Hilal after having been offered "life-changing" money.

FootballTransfers previously explained that Chelsea might be making a mistake by axing Jackson, with data analytics firm SciSports believing that he is among the best strikers in world football.

Even looking beyond that, agreeing a deal with Villa may not be straightforward. Having already loaned Alejandro Garnacho from Chelsea, the Birmingham club will have to sign Jackson permanently due to Premier League rules.

However, by purchasing him this summer, Villa would be at risk of limiting the huge profit they booked on Morgan Rogers, at least with regard to UEFA's strict financial rules.

The governing body amended its player exchange regulation ahead of the summer, meaning that two players who head in opposite directions within a 45-day period qualify as a swap deal, thereby restricting the profits on each player.

We don't know exactly when Chelsea and Villa finalised their paperwork for Rogers, but the transfer was announced on 21 July with 42 days left in the window, meaning that a permanent deal between the clubs is now ostensibly liable to be regarded as a player trade, even if it happens on Deadline Day on 1 September.

That's why Garnacho's transfer from Chelsea to Villa was a loan move with a conditional purchase obligation - this formula seemingly allowed the two clubs to bypass UEFA's rules. However, as mentioned above, Villa can't loan another player from Chelsea.

The two clubs may be willing to take the risk of Jackson potentially cutting into the Rogers profit. If Villa agree a deal with Al-Hilal for Watkins, they will still have made close to (or potentially even more than) €150m in sales this summer - even without the Rogers money - which will surely leave them confident of complying with UEFA rules.

Jackson is understood to be keen on the move to Villa Park, so it could be a win-win scenario for all parties despite the murky regulatory backdrop. Villa will get a very good striker, while Chelsea, who value Jackson at €76m, will get a hefty fee for an unwanted player.