Nicolas Jackson left out of Chelsea's squad for pre-season friendly against Bayer Leverkusen amid exit links with Newcastle and Bayern Munich

Jackson was a surprise omission from Chelsea’s squad to face Bayer Leverkusen on Friday evening. The Senegalese striker instead trained alone at Cobham while new signing Estevao was named in the starting XI. His absence follows the player's request to explore a transfer away from the club.

According to Daily Mail Sport, Jackson’s solo training session was scheduled after he informed Chelsea of his desire to leave. The west London club is now open to facilitating a move and actively holding talks with interested parties. While a transfer is likely, Chelsea have made it clear they would still welcome Jackson back into the squad if no deal materialises.

Jackson is facing increased competition for a starting role following Chelsea’s summer recruitment drive. Newcastle United are monitoring his situation closely, especially after missing out on Benjamin Sesko. Bayern Munich, Juventus and AC Milan are also among the clubs expressing interest in the striker over a move this summer.

Chelsea will continue exploring offers for Jackson over the coming weeks. If a move doesn’t materialise, he is expected to be reintegrated into Maresca’s plans for the 2025-26 season. The striker's future could be decided before Chelsea’s Premier League opener against Crystal Palace on August 17.