Aston Villa sign Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea: Decoding his stats
What's the story
Aston Villa have officially announced the signing of Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea in a club-record deal worth up to £65 million. As per Sky Sports News, Villa are paying a fixed fee of £47.5m for Jackson, which could reach £65m. The transfer comes as a replacement for Ollie Watkins, who is on the verge of joining Al-Hilal. The total fee for Jackson exceeds the previous record set earlier this summer when Johan Maznambi was agreed for £59.5 million.
Strategic shift
Deal includes base fee of £47.5 million
As mentioned, the deal for Jackson includes a base fee of £47.5 million, which could rise to the full £65 million with add-ons.
Jackson's arrival marks a strategic shift for Aston Villa, as head coach Unai Emery acknowledged the club is entering a "new chapter" with Watkins's departure and Jackson's imminent arrival.
The England striker was absent against Brighton as he underwent medical tests ahead of his move to Saudi Arabia.
Villa
Villa delighted to announce the signing of Nicolas Jackson
Villa issued a statement regarding Jackson.
"Aston Villa is delighted to announce the signing of Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea. The 37-cap Senegal international, who represented his country at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, has joined on a permanent transfer."
"Jackson reunites with Unai Emery, who was his manager at Villarreal, with his performances in Spain earning him a move to Stamford Bridge in 2023."
"Last term, the striker helped Bayern Munich win a Bundesliga and DFB Pokal double, contributing 11 goals."
Numbers
Jackson scored 30 goals for Chelsea
In 81 appeareances for Chelsea, Jackson mustered 30 goals. He also provided 12 assists.
In his first season, he made 44 appearances, scoring 17 times and providing 6 assists.
In the 2024-25 season, he bagged 13 goals and 6 assists from 37 matches.
In 65 Premier League appearances, the player managed 24 goals and 10 assists across two seasons.
Information
How did he fare at Bayern on loan?
Jackson did a reasonable job for Bayern last season. He played 34 games for the Bavarians and netted 11 goals. Notably, 8 of his goals came in 23 Bundesliga matches. He also made 4 assists for the club across competitions.
Information
Chelsea had signed Jackson from Villarreal
Chelsea signed Villarreal's Jackson on an eight-year deal in July 2023. He moved to the club for a fee worth £32m. Jackson joined Chelsea after a breakthrough 2022-23 season for the Spanish side. He went on to score 13 goals in 38 games, including nine in the final eight La Liga games.
Twitter Post
Reunion!
The reunion 💜 pic.twitter.com/PCLyETEENI
— Aston Villa (@AstonVilla) August 28, 2026
New target
Villa agree verbal deal to sign PSG winger Ibrahim Mbaye
Along with Jackson, Aston Villa have also agreed a verbal deal to sign Paris Saint-Germain winger Ibrahim Mbaye. The two clubs have settled on a transfer fee of €55 million for the 18-year-old player, as per The Athletic.
The move comes after the club missed out on AC Milan forward Rafa Leao, who joined Galatasaray.
Liverpool were also interested in Mbaye this summer but has since shifted focus to his teammate Bradley Barcola.