Aston Villa agree £65m Nicolas Jackson deal! Chelsea striker set for reunion with Unai Emery

According to The Athletic, Aston Villa have agreed a deal worth a total package of £65 million to sign Jackson from Chelsea, bringing an end to the striker's tenure at Stamford Bridge. Villa will pay an initial £47.5m upfront for the Senegal international, with personal terms at Villa Park currently in the process of being finalised.

The 25-year-old forward has been a long-standing target for the club and remains a firm favourite of Emery, who has been keen to bring him to Birmingham for some time. His arrival would mark the third piece of business between the two clubs this summer, following Morgan Rogers' club-record £117m move to Stamford Bridge and Alejandro Garnacho's subsequent arrival at Villa on a season-long loan with a conditional purchase obligation.

Jackson previously hit top form under Emery at Villarreal, scoring 13 goals before securing his move to Chelsea in the summer of 2023. Their strong relationship proved pivotal in finalising the deal, with Emery fully aware of how to maximise the versatile forward's potential.

Originally joining Chelsea from Villarreal in 2023 for £32m on an eight-year contract, the forward went on to record 30 goals in 81 appearances. While offering regular glimpses of his raw talent and tireless work ethic, the Blues have now chosen to capitalise on his market value as part of an ongoing squad overhaul under their new setup.

A loan spell at Bayern Munich for the 2025-26 campaign saw the Senegal striker contribute to their record-extending 34th Bundesliga title, registering eight goals and two assists across 23 league matches. While the deal included a €16.5m initial fee and a €65m conditional purchase obligation, the criteria required to make the transfer permanent at the Allianz Arena were ultimately not met.

Bayern's honorary president Uli Hoeness later shed light on the clause, revealing that the purchase obligation required Jackson to start 40 matches, excluding DFB-Pokal games. With the striker making just 13 starts across the Bundesliga and Champions League throughout the campaign, the clause expired, leading to his return to Stamford Bridge before Villa stepped in.

With 37 caps and eight goals for Senegal under his belt, Jackson adds proven international quality to Emery's squad. Since making his debut against the Netherlands at the 2022 World Cup, he has developed into an integral part of the Teranga Lions' attack - most recently featuring in four matches and providing an assist during this summer's World Cup, where Senegal exited in the round of 32 against Belgium.