Chelsea close to deal with Nicholas Jackson, offering another eight-year deal

Jackson scored 12 goals for Villarreal last season. Photo: Getty Images/Aitor Alcalde

Chelsea are close to signing a contract with Villarreal. striker Nicholas Jackson.

The 22-year-old Senegalese international was treated over the weekend after Chelsea complied with a buyout clause of just €35m (£30.1m) in his contract.

Jackson has already agreed on personal terms and will in fact be the first player signed at Chelsea under new head coach Mauricio Pochettino.

Chelsea completed a £52m transfer for fellow striker Christopher Nkunku from RB Leipzig last week, but the deal was agreed months before Pochettino was hired.

Villarreal were reluctant to sell Jackson, who scored 12 goals in La Liga last season despite being out of action for a long time due to injury, but were powerless when Chelsea activated a relatively low release clause, and he wanted to leave.

Jackson is said to be signing an eight-year deal with Chelsea and while this detail has yet to be confirmed, it is in line with Todd Boli and Behdad Egbali's policy of placing young players on very long-term contracts.

< p>Jackson joined Villarreral from Senegal in 2019 and, like Nkunku, can play both as a centre-forward and on the wings. In January, he almost signed for Bournemouth for around £25m, but that deal fell through after he suffered a hamstring injury that kept him out of much of his last campaign.

Jackson will join Nkunk, Mikhail Mudrik, Noni Madueka, Raheem Sterling and Armando Brocha, who is recovering from injury, as one of Pochettino's offensive options.

His upcoming arrival is part of a major overhaul at Chelsea this summer as they look to cut and re-roster their squad, as well as making sure he doesn't violate Financial Fair Play rules.

Chelsea have agreed a fee £65m for the sale of Kai Havertz to Arsenal, with a move announcement expected next week with Romelu Lukaku's future yet to be determined. Inter Milan want him back, but there are also speculations that Milan are trying to make a deal with the Belgian international who doesn't want to return to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea are also close to a deal on the departure of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and Hakim Ziyech, who are set to join N'Golo Kante and Kalidou Koulibaly, whose departure was confirmed on Sunday, in the Saudi Arabian professional league.

Chelsea are also open to listening to host offers side of other players, including Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and possibly Callum Hudson-Odoi, while Cesar Azpilicueta is wanted by Inter and is likely to leave on a free transfer.< /p>