Chelsea ready to accept Aston Villa’s €70m offer for Nicolas Jackson

Chelsea are close to accepting a reported €70m offer, including add-ons, from Aston Villa for Nicolas Jackson, with the Senegal international potentially set to join a direct Premier League rival before the summer transfer window closes.

The deal is not yet complete, however, with Aston Villa still needing to reach an agreement with Jackson over his contract and personal terms. According to Santi Aouna of Foot Mercato, Chelsea are “on the verge” of accepting the proposal, while Aston Villa currently have sufficient room in their wage structure to complete the transfer.

The move would give Aston Villa manager Unai Emery another attacking option as he attempts to rebuild his squad under significant time pressure. The club have been active in the race against time to strengthen before the deadline, with a new striker now their main priority.

Aston Villa’s need for reinforcements has been highlighted by a difficult period in the transfer market. A large number of players have left the club, with many of those departures taking place in recent weeks. That has left the club with limited time to find suitable replacements.

Pressure on the club’s recruitment plans increased after Aston Villa began their Premier League campaign with a 4-0 defeat by Brighton. The heavy loss further underlined the need for Emery’s side to add to its squad quickly.

According to CaughtOffside, the club’s immediate ambition is to sign a striker who can replace Ollie Watkins, who is pushing for a move to the Saudi league. Aston Villa had already made an approach for Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta, but that offer was rejected. The Frenchman is understood to be an alternative option rather than the club’s leading target.

Jackson has emerged as the preferred candidate, and the proposed transfer would reunite him with Emery. The manager gave Jackson his first opportunity in senior football while the pair were together at Villarreal, a relationship that could help convince the striker to move to Villa Park.

Aouna reported that Aston Villa had made an offer worth about €70m, bonuses included, to Chelsea for Jackson. The club now needs to settle the final contractual details with the player before the transfer can be completed.

The proposed agreement appears to offer benefits to all three parties. Chelsea would receive a substantial fee for a forward who could move on before the transfer window closes, while Aston Villa would address their most urgent weakness and add strength to their attack. Jackson, meanwhile, would have the chance to work with Emery again and continue his career at another Premier League club.

With the summer market entering its final days, negotiations are expected to progress quickly. However, the transfer remains dependent on Aston Villa and Jackson reaching an agreement over personal terms, despite Chelsea’s reported willingness to accept the €70m package.