Following the signing of Leon Goretzka, Aston Villa has introduced Nicolas Jackson as its next former Bayern Munich player. With the transfer of the Senegalese forward, the Birmingham club is preparing for the departure of another striker.
Aston Villa’s start to the new season went completely awry: The Champions League participant suffered a 0-4 defeat in Brighton to kick off the league season. Ollie Watkins was already out of the lineup for that match. After six years in Birmingham, the 24-time England international is on the verge of a move to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia.
The Villans have already found a replacement for the 30-year-old: They’ve signed Nicolas Jackson from league rival Chelsea FC. The Europa League champions are digging deep into their pockets for the Senegalese forward, thereby reinvesting the anticipated proceeds from the Watkins sale immediately. According to reports, the base fee of around 55 million euros for Jackson could rise to 75 million euros through bonuses. This past summer, former Freiburg player Johan Manzambi arrived as the club’s new record signing for a base transfer fee of 60 million euros.
A Double Reunion
For Chelsea, the deal is correspondingly lucrative; after all, the Blues are raking in a hefty profit. Three years ago, they brought Jackson to England from Villarreal for just under 35 million euros, where he scored 24 goals in 65 Premier League matches during his first two seasons. However, the 25-year-old never quite made his definitive breakthrough, which is why he ended up at FC Bayern last season after some back-and-forth.
At the German record champions, the loaned player couldn’t get past Harry Kane and therefore often only saw action as a substitute. His stats, however, are impressive: Jackson scored eight goals in the Bundesliga and three in the Champions League despite his limited playing time for FCB, which subsequently decided against a permanent transfer because the buyout clause was too expensive.
Speaking of the Champions League: Jackson—unlike Chelsea under coach Xabi Alonso—will be competing there again this season. Joining him on the field for the reigning Europa League champions will be a familiar face: Leon Goretzka. Unlike with Jackson, the Villans didn’t have to pay a transfer fee for their former teammate from Munich. Jackson is also set for another reunion with his new head coach: Unai Emery previously coached the 38-time Senegal national team player at Villarreal from 2021 to 2023.