'He can leave' - Enzo Maresca makes Chelsea's stance on Nicolas Jackson's future clear but reveals striker isn't training with 'bomb squad'

Chelsea’s ruthless rebuild under Maresca has already seen heavy investment, with fresh faces including Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens and Dutch defender Jorrel Hato. Despite that outlay, the Blues are still prowling the market, hungry for more additions before the deadline slams shut.

Maresca has insisted repeatedly this week that the club must secure another centre-back after Levi Colwill suffered a devastating ACL injury in training. His demand for defensive reinforcements suggests Jackson’s sale could be used to free up both funds and squad space as Chelsea balance their reshuffle.

Speaking with blunt honesty, Maresca said: "He is training with us [the first-team squad], but he is not going to be involved. You know the situation already. The window transfer is open. He can leave, and we'll see.”

Jackson is already suspended for Chelsea’s curtain-raiser against Crystal Palace this Sunday due to the red card he picked up against Newcastle at the tail end of last season. But even without that ban, Maresca’s comments suggest he’d have been left watching from the stands regardless.

Newcastle United have been heavily linked with Jackson, but there’s hesitation in Tyneside over whether the Magpies actually want to commit. Brentford’s Yoane Wissa has emerged as a more appealing target, particularly as a replacement for Callum Wilson, who left St James’ Park earlier this summer. If Alexander Isak is prised away in the coming weeks, Newcastle will be under pressure to land another forward, and Jackson could come back into sharper focus.