Aston Villa and Chelsea have moved close to agreement over Nicolas Jackson, with reports landing on a package worth around €75m including add-ons, a £65m deal, and, in another version of the story, more than £60m. The broad picture is the same: Villa are trying to finish the move, not just talk about it.

Villa's Jackson talks

Fabrizio Romano said Chelsea are set to accept a £65m package, with only final green-light details left before a medical. Florian Plettenberg went further, saying Villa and Chelsea have reached a full agreement and that the contract would run until 2031. Both reports point in the same direction, even if the fee structure is being described slightly differently across outlets.

That is the version that matters most. Villa have been the most concrete club for Jackson for a while, and the deal now looks close enough that the remaining steps are about paperwork, personal terms and getting the last pieces over the line.

Villa's wider striker scramble

The urgency is tied to what is happening around Ollie Watkins. Standard Sport says Villa moved after it became clear he was angling to leave and is expected to join Al-Hilal Saudi FC, while CaughtOffside reported that he has rejected Villa’s latest contract extension proposals and is still pushing for the Saudi move. Watkins has only two appearances this season and no goals or assists, so the need for another centre-forward is obvious even before any exit is completed.

Villa are also keeping a separate route open for Rafael Leão. Sacha Tavolieri said both Villa and AC Milan have agreements in place, but Galatasaray remain in pole position and Villa have only closed the gap significantly. Leão’s 6.83 season rating suggests why Villa have kept that chase alive, even with Jackson moving nearer.

Villa finished fourth last season on 65 points, and this late-window push feels like a club trying to protect that level while changing the front line fast. They are coming off back-to-back defeats in their last two matches, including a 4-0 loss at Brighton, which only increases the pressure to land a forward before the window closes.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →