Official: Aston Villa sign Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson

28 Aug 2026 19:16 BST | 3 min read

Nicolas Jackson, Chelsea, 2026/27 — © IMAGO

Tom Weber | Writer

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Aston Villa have confirmed the signing of Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson.

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Unai Emery has finally been reunited with his former Villarreal prospect. Jackson had been a long-standing target for the Villa boss, and the chance to sign him emerged when Chelsea deemed him surplus to requirements.

An agreement for a sizeable financial package was agreed earlier this week, with Villa committing to a €55 million upfront outlay. With add-ons, the deal can rise to a whopping €76m.

Current ETV

Nicolas Jackson

F (C)

Chelsea

Nicolas Jackson

F (C)

Chelsea

ETV Range

€32.1M - €39.3M

The Senegal international has been signed to replace Ollie Watkins, who is on his way to Saudi giants Al-Hilal. Emery confirmed earlier on Friday that the England star would be sold and that Jackson had been brought in as his successor.

It is believed that Villa will make just shy of €60m from the sale of Watkins, a hefty fee for a 30-year-old. Jackson has signed a long-term contract at Villa Park, though the club did not disclose the length of the deal.

Villa sign Jackson

"Aston Villa is delighted to announce the signing of Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea," the Birmingham side's succinct statement read. "The 37-cap Senegal international, who represented his country at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, has joined on a permanent transfer.

"Jackson reunites with Unai Emery, who was his manager at Villarreal, with his performances in Spain earning him a move to Stamford Bridge in 2023. Last term, the striker helped Bayern Munich win a Bundesliga and DFB Pokal double, contributing 11 goals. Welcome, Nicolas!"

Despite showing huge promise at Chelsea, Jackson has been pushed out of the club. He was initially moved on loan to Bayern last summer, but the Bundesliga giants decided against taking up their €65m purchase option.

This could turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Chelsea. If Jackson triggers all his bonuses at Villa, the Blues would get a larger fee than they would have received from Bayern.

Chelsea paid €37m for Jackson in 2023 and received a €16.5m loan fee from Bayern last season. This means that they have turned a guaranteed profit of €34.5m on the striker, which can rise as high as €55.5m.

Although Jackson has the potential to become an elite striker, this looks brilliant business from Chelsea, who also made a decent profit on Liam Delap despite the fact that he endured a disastrous season last term.