Nicolas Jackson closing in on Villa move as Watkins exit looms
Nicolas Jackson is close to signing for Aston Villa.
Aston Villa are on the verge of signing Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson in a deal of around £65m. His arrival will allow Ollie Watkins to leave the club, as per latest transfer news.
Villa close in on Nicolas Jackson deal
As reported by BBC Sport, Aston Villa have reached a broad agreement with Chelsea over a deal for Jackson. The transfer could be worth £65m, with Villa expected to pay around £50m up front and a further £15m in add-ons. The deal still depends on Jackson agreeing personal terms and completing his move to Villa Park. However, the Senegal international is expected to reunite with Unai Emery as talks are at an advanced stage.
Jackson already knows Emery from their time together at Villarreal. That relationship could help the striker settle quickly if he completes the move. Chelsea signed Jackson from Villarreal for around £35m in 2023. In total, he registered 30 goals in 81 appearances for the Blues before spending last season on loan at Bayern Munich. Chelsea paid a £14.3m loan fee but Bayern did not activate the £56.2m buy option. Jackson’s arrival would give Villa the replacement they need before allowing Watkins to leave.
Jackson arrival could trigger Watkins exit
Watkins is expected to leave Villa once Jackson completes his move. The England international is close to joining Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in a deal worth around £51m. Since arriving from Brentford in 2020, the 30-year-old has been one of Villa’s most vital players. He is the club’s leading scorer in the Premier League with 91 goals in the competition. Villa were already planning to offload Watkins but wanted a replacement. The striker missed Sunday’s 4-0 defeat at Brighton and Emery said it would be down to Watkins and his agent to explain Watkins’ absence.
Jackson would provide a solution to Villa’s attacking problems and give Emery another option in the final third. His experience in English football should also help him adjust to the demands of the league. Villa are also prepared to send Tammy Abraham to Ipswich Town on loan. The 28-year-old is reportedly happy at Villa but is ready to move to Portman Road for the season. The proposed deal is not expected to include an option or obligation to buy.
Nicolas Jackson’s Bayern Munich stats for the 2025/26 season, as per FOTMOB:
| Competition | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Bundesliga | 23 | 8 | 1 |
| DFB Pokal | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Champions League | 10 | 3 | 2 |
Villa continue major squad rebuild
Jackson’s potential arrival would be another major change during Villa’s busy summer. The club have already signed Joao Gomes, Johan Manzambi, Matteo Ruggeri and Zion Suzuki as Emery continues to reshape his squad. However, several key players have also left.
Youri Tielemans, Morgan Rogers, Ezri Konsa and Lucas Digne have already left. If Watkins was to leave it would mean five of the starting XI who won the Europa League back in May were now gone. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez could also follow them out of Villa Park. Chelsea are reportedly interested in the Argentina international after deciding that he could leave following Suzuki’s arrival.
For Villa, signing Jackson would therefore be an important part of their squad rebuild. The striker has already shown he can score goals at a high level and knows Emery’s methods having worked under him at Villarreal. Chelsea would get another big fee for the transfer and be able to move on from a player that spent much of the previous season away from Stamford Bridge. Jackson’s possible move is now one of the big deals ahead of the transfer window closing, with Watkins’ future dependent on Villa bringing the striker in.
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