Chelsea will reportedly compete with Aston Villa in the battle to sign Nicolas Jackson from La Liga club Villarreal this summer.
According to a report by The Guardian, Nicolas Jackson is the subject of interest from Chelsea. The Blues are in the market for offensive reinforcements heading into the summer transfer window. And the Villarreal attacker is also a target for fellow Premier League club Aston Villa.
Nicolas Jackson took some time to get going after joining Villarreal from Casa Sports in July 2019. The 21-year-old gradually rose through the ranks at the Spanish club while spending the 2020/21 season on loan at CD Mirandes. And after a few impressive displays in the following campaign, he has become a pivotal figure for the Yellow Submarine.
The Senegalese international was not breathtaking throughout the 2022/23 season. But he grew in stature in the latter stages, ending the campaign with 13 goals and five assists, with 12 strikes coming in La Liga. Jackson was also May’s Player of the Month in La Liga after finding the back of the net five times. And the youngster’s progress has alerted several clubs, including Chelsea and Aston Villa.
The young attacker has been the subject of interest from Aston Villa for a long time. The Villans even considered signing him in the January transfer window, with Unai Emery eyeing a reunion. And the Spanish manager’s desire to reunite with the 21-year-old has increased following a strong end to the season by the player.
The Aston Villa attack needs more dynamism as it is currently overly reliant on Ollie Watkins. So the versatile Jackson is an option worth considering. But Aston Villa will face stiff competition from fellow Premier League club Chelsea for the Senegalese international.
Chelsea will delve into the market this summer for a striker. And they have shown interest in several centre-forwards, including Victor Osimhen and Dusan Vlahovic. But while Osimhen will not leave Napoli this summer, Vlahovic has other high-profile suitors. Jackson is thus a viable under-the-radar target for Chelsea.
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But the 21-year-old shares a healthy rapport with Unai Emery. In addition, the Chelsea project under the new ownership has been volatile. But the Blues have lofty ambitions and several talented players. So it will be interesting to see where the youngster plies his trade next season.
