29 Apr 2026 10:04 BST |
5 min read
Chelsea will have a difficult decision to make over the future of Nicolas Jackson after interest continued to develop in the striker following news that he will return to Stamford Bridge this summer.
Jackson has been on loan at Bayern Munich this season but the German giants confirmed last week that they would not be taking up their €65 million option to make the deal permanent despite paying €16.5m to bring him to the club initially.
The 24-year-old will now be heading back to Chelsea despite being told last summer that he had no future at the club and the Blues will be left trying to resolve the future of a player who still has a staggering seven years left on his contract.
Jackson is believed to be open to remaining at Chelsea, while the club themselves will not make a firm decision over the Senegalese forward’s future until he returns, but there are also expected to be a significant amount of offers on the table from clubs ready to sign the player this summer.
According to Sky Sport Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Juventus ‘could imagine’ a loan deal for Jackson, while Milan are also said to be monitoring the situation.
Reports this week also saw Jackson linked with a number of Premier League clubs such as Aston Villa, Newcastle and Everton, giving Chelsea plenty of options if they were seeking to sever ties with the striker once again this summer.
Nicolas Jackson: Why Andoni Iraola could have huge implications over Chelsea exit
Jackson had been an important player for Chelsea since his €37m move from Villarreal in 2023 but the club opted to go in a new direction last summer after bringing new strikers in Liam Delap and Joao Pedro.
Bridges appeared to be burned between both parties after Chelsea’s last-minute attempt to cancel Jackson’s agreed move to Bayern following an injury to Delap, only for the player to refuse to return to the club, prompting his deadline day departure.
It was expected that Jackson would permanently join Bayern but the form of Harry Kane this season has limited the Chelsea loanee to just ten starts in the Bundesliga, even with a solid return of seven goals in his 20 total appearances.
Chelsea are expected to try and move on from Delap this summer after a disastrous debut season with the club and there is a world in which Jackson is retained as a depth option if no acceptable proposals are submitted for him.
Much could also depend on if Chelsea progress in talks to hire Andoni Iraola as their new manager, with the Spaniard having spoken positively about Jackson after trying to sign him prior to his move to West London.
Speaking in the summer of 2023, Iraola said: “He is a player I know really well, because he also played in Mirandes. I faced him with Villarreal. He is a very, very good player. He has the threat with his speed to attack the spaces. But he is also very good also when he receives, turns and attacks one-v-one.
“I think he will provide not only the goals, but a lot of chances. He will work well with the other forwards. I think he is a really good player.”
With Chelsea potentially set to miss out on Champions League football next season, the Premier League side would prefer to raise funds through Jackson’s permanent sale over a loan deal, particularly if they receive a fee exceeding his €54.4m Expected Transfer Value.
It remains to be seen just what concrete offers will emerge for Jackson and whether the player will look to continue his career in the Premier League or opt for a new beginning at another European side.
Related stories:
Man Utd in €45m Chelsea tussle for the ‘next Toni Kroos’
Chelsea Transfer News Today: Joao Pedro talks confirmed as €92m price tag revealed
Transfer Rumours: Arsenal barge into Kroupi race as €92m Chelsea battle confirmed
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