Aston Villa are closing in on Nicolas Jackson, with a €70m (£60.3m) package now on the table for the Chelsea striker.
The previous reports around the 25-year-old had Villa in negotiations and well positioned to get him. There’s now something a bit more concrete.
Foot Mercato’s Santi Aouna reports Aston Villa have submitted an offer worth around €70m (£60.3m), including bonuses. Chelsea are said to be on the verge of accepting it.
That would leave Villa with one major piece of the deal still to sort out.
Aston Villa need agreement with Jackson
Aouna says Aston Villa must now reach an agreement over personal terms with the Senegal international.
That perhaps explains why the deal isn’t being presented as done just yet, despite Chelsea being close to giving their approval. Still, there are reasons for Villa to feel confident.
Reports from Spain over the past few days have repeatedly highlighted Unai Emery’s role in the situation. The manager knows Jackson from their time together at Villarreal.
Emery gave the striker his first-team debut there in 2021. Jackson later managed three goals and three assists across 27 appearances under him.
That’s particularly useful now the transfer appears to have reached the stage of negotiating directly with the player.
Villa also tried for Mateta
There’s another detail from Aouna which makes Aston Villa’s intentions quite clear. He reports they also offered €22m (£19m) to Crystal Palace for Jean-Philippe Mateta. Palace rapidly turned that proposal down.
So Villa haven’t been keeping an eye on Jackson while waiting to see what happens elsewhere. They’ve been actively trying to secure another striker.
Of course that comes with Ollie Watkins potentially heading to Saudi Arabia. Previous reports stated Watkins had agreed personal terms for that move, with a deal worth more than €50m (£43.1m) discussed.
His departure would give Villa more room to finance Jackson’s arrival. Chelsea had previously been asking for around €80m (£68.9m). Villa’s €70m (£60.3m) package appears to have brought the two clubs considerably closer.
If Chelsea now accept, attention switches entirely to Jackson. And given Emery’s long-standing interest in the striker, Villa will surely hope that part doesn’t take too much convincing.
