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Nicolas Jackson absent from Chelsea squad amid Aston Villa transfer speculation
via SeneNews1 min read
Nicolas Jackson is not included in Chelsea's 28-player squad, with Xabi Alonso opting for João Pedro, Liam Delap, and young talents like Ryan Kavuma-McQueen for the offensive sector. This absence fuels speculation about the Senegalese forward's future, as The Athletic and TEAMtalk report Aston Villa has made Jackson a top recruitment priority this summer. Aston Villa's interest is largely attributed to manager Unai Emery, who previously coached Jackson at Villarreal and seeks to reunite with him to strengthen his offensive line alongside Ollie Watkins. English press indicates Jackson is open to the transfer, seeking more regular playing time, as he is now third in Chelsea's offensive hierarchy behind João Pedro and Liam Delap. Chelsea has reportedly set an asking price of around 65 million pounds for the 25-year-old forward, more than double the 32 million pounds paid to Villarreal in 2023. Jackson was on loan at Bayern Munich last season, scoring 11 goals and providing 4 assists in 34 appearances, but the Bavarian club did not exercise its mandatory purchase option. This potential transfer follows other deals between the two clubs this summer, including Morgan Rogers' record sale to Chelsea for 117 million pounds and Alejandro Garnacho's loan to Aston Villa with a conditional purchase option. While no definitive agreement has been reached, Jackson's exclusion from the squad may signal Chelsea's preparation for his departure to the Midlands.
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