Aston Villa have completed the signing of Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea in a deal worth up to £65 million, with Unai Emery confirming the Senegal international will lead Villa’s attack as the club prepares for life without Ollie Watkins.
Jackson, 25, has signed at Villa Park after Chelsea agreed an initial fee of £47.5 million, with add-ons potentially taking the total to £65 million.
He becomes the third major piece of business between Villa and Chelsea this summer, following Morgan Rogers’ club-record £117 million departure to Stamford Bridge in June and Alejandro Garnacho’s subsequent loan move in the other direction.
The arrival of Jackson directly paves the way for Watkins to complete his move to Al Hilal, with Fabrizio Romano confirming the Saudi Pro League side have agreed a deal worth €58.4 million plus add-ons for the England international.
Jackson brings with him a profile Emery knows well. The pair worked together at Villarreal, where Jackson made his senior breakthrough before a £32 million move to Chelsea in 2023.
He went on to score 30 goals in 81 appearances for the Blues before spending last season on loan at Bayern Munich, where he registered 11 goals in 34 appearances, including three in the Champions League, and contributed to the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal double.
Jackson could be available for Monday’s trip to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal, though Emery will assess his fitness having been largely absent from first-team training at Chelsea in recent weeks.
Leon Goretzka, who completed his free transfer from Bayern Munich on Thursday, is also in contention to make his Villa debut in what is already shaping up as a defining early-season fixture for a club that were beaten 4-0 by Brighton on opening day.
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