Chelsea Set £60 Million Price Tag on Nicolas Jackson Amid Transfer Interest

Chelsea have put a £60 million price tag on Nicolas Jackson as Tottenham and Aston Villa circle, with the fee emerging as the key stumbling block to any deal.

The 25-year-old returns to Stamford Bridge off the back of a productive loan at Bayern Munich, where he hit 11 goals in 34 games. Bayern had the option to keep him permanently for €65m (£55.5m) but walked away from that clause, leaving Chelsea with a decision to make on a striker who has just featured at a World Cup and now sits in transfer limbo.

Xabi Alonso, now the man with the final say on Jackson’s future, is prepared to sanction a sale before the window closes, according to RMC Sport. Chelsea are on the same page — but only at their price. That £60m valuation has been labelled the “main obstacle” to his exit, with interested clubs unwilling so far to go that high.

Tottenham and Aston Villa are both tracking the Senegal forward, while Atletico Madrid are also in the conversation. For now, though, admiration has not turned into agreement. The market likes Jackson. It does not love the number Chelsea have attached to him.

The tension around his future was underlined at the weekend. Jackson was left out of Alonso’s squad entirely as Chelsea beat Real Sociedad 3-1 in their final pre-season friendly at Stamford Bridge, a notable omission for a player whose situation is supposedly still undecided.

Chelsea, though, have not stood still in the striker department. Danny Welbeck has already arrived from Brighton in a £5m deal, a low-cost move that adds experience and complicates Jackson’s path to regular minutes if he stays.

Other Forward Situations

Jackson is not the only forward in the shop window.

Liam Delap, also absent from the squad against Real Sociedad, has been made available for transfer. Chelsea want £40m for the 23-year-old, a year after paying £30m to bring him in from Ipswich Town. There is interest on the continent: Como, managed by Cesc Fabregas and already home to former Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah, have made an approach.

Delap, though, is understood to favour a move within the Premier League. The fee, again, is likely to be decisive. Clubs know Chelsea’s stance. Chelsea know they are trying to sell from a position of strength.

Two strikers, two hefty valuations, one clear message: if you want Chelsea’s forwards this summer, you are going to have to pay Premier League prices.