La Liga return on the cards? Atletico Madrid rival Aston Villa in race to sign Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson

Atletico Madrid are officially in the market for a new goalscorer. With Alexander Sorloth currently sidelined due to injury and Julian Alvarez pushing to leave the club - a request firmly turned down by Atletico's board - the Rojiblancos have identified Jackson as the ideal candidate to strengthen their attacking options.

According to reports from MARCA, Mateu Alemany, the director of football at Atletico Madrid, was spotted at the Metropolitano during the team's 2-0 victory over Malaga in their La Liga opener on Wednesday before travelling from Barajas airport to London on Thursday morning. The mission is clear: to find a breakthrough that would see Jackson return to Spanish soil. While several names remain on Atletico's shortlist, the former Villarreal man has jumped to the top of the pile.

Securing Jackson will not be a straightforward task for the Spanish giants. Atletico are operating under tight financial constraints following the significant investment made to sign Cuti Romero, a deal worth €33 million plus an additional €7 million in variables. Consequently, Alemany is exploring a loan deal that might require Chelsea to cover a portion of the striker's wages.

Speaking about the difficulties of the current window, Alemany admitted to Movistar: 'Everything is complicated. The market, if you look at it from the outside, has become tough, and every year that passes it is more complicated because there is a lot of money in the system. There is inflation. Special players are difficult to get.'

Jackson's journey since leaving La Liga has been a whirlwind of high-profile moves and fluctuating fortunes. After a failed transfer to Bournemouth during his final winter at Villarreal, he eventually joined Chelsea for a fee in the region of €37 million. Since then, he has spent two seasons in the Premier League and enjoyed a loan spell at Bayern Munich.

Jackson is no stranger to Spanish football, having spent two seasons with Villarreal between 2021 and 2023. During his spell with the Yellow Submarine, the Senegalese forward registered 48 appearances across all competitions, scoring 13 goals and providing six assists.

However, Atletico Madrid face stiff competition from Aston Villa for Jackson's signature. The Premier League side are led by Unai Emery - the very manager who handed the Senegalese forward his senior debut at Villarreal. Villa view Jackson as a primary candidate to bolster their frontline, particularly as they prepare for the potential departure of Ollie Watkins to Saudi Arabia.

This interest comes at a time when The Sun reports that Jackson remains determined to fight for his place at Chelsea, especially given his long-term contract at Stamford Bridge which runs until 2033. However, establishing himself as an undisputed starter has proved challenging, with the Senegalese international tallying 30 goals and 12 assists in 81 appearances across all competitions for the Blues.