Aston Villa Agree £65m Deal to Sign Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea

Transfer Terms and Financial Structure

Negotiations between the two clubs are at an advanced stage, with a broad agreement already established over the fee structure. Jackson joined Chelsea from Villarreal in 2023 for a reported £35m fee, subsequently scoring 30 goals across 81 appearances for the Stamford Bridge club. His tenure at Chelsea includes winning the Europa Conference League and making a recent appearance against Fluminense in the 2025 Club World Cup. He also spent the previous season on loan at Bayern Munich, where he netted 11 times in 34 matches to help secure a Bundesliga title.

Impact on Unai Emery’s Squad and Ollie Watkins

If Jackson agrees to personal terms and finalises the switch to Villa Park, he will reunite with Unai Emery, who previously coached him at Spanish club Villarreal. The anticipated arrival of the forward is expected to trigger the departure of England international Ollie Watkins, who is targeted by Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal. Villa’s ongoing squad overhaul has already seen the arrivals of Johan Manzambi, midfielder Joao Gomes, goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, and defender Matteo Ruggeri, while departures include Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, Lucas Digne, and Ezri Konsa.

Chelsea’s Concurrent Squad Movement

In addition to negotiating Jackson’s departure, Chelsea have agreed a £50m fee with Nottingham Forest for forward Liam Delap. Chelsea are also reportedly weighing up a move for Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who is deemed surplus to requirements following Suzuki’s arrival in the West Midlands. Meanwhile, Stamford Bridge officials have held discussions with Atalanta regarding an 18-year-old defender, Honest Ahanor, who carries a £34.3m valuation from the Serie A club.