Nicolas Jackson responds as Chelsea confirm exit with heartfelt announcement
Nicolas Jackson has responded after Chelsea confirmed an exit with a heartfelt announcement on social media.
Jackson’s future at Stamford Bridge has been a hot topic of conversation this summer after his poor performances at the Club World Cup and Chelsea’s attacking transfer business.
Enzo Maresca has moved to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town and bring in Brighton & Hove Albion striker Joao Pedro, so the Senegalese international has been pushed down the striker pecking order.
Former scout Mick Brown told Football Insider in June that Chelsea are ready to accept offers for Jackson this summer amid impatience around his performances.
Football Insider recently revealed that Aston Villa are interested in Jackson as Unai Emery looks to overall his attacking options, and Football Insider also revealed on 15 July that Villa are accelerating talks to sign Jackson with Ollie Watkins potentially set to depart.
Chelsea announce Djordje Petrovic’s move to Bournemouth
Chelsea’s summer business has been focused on incomings rather than outgoings so far, but the Blues have sanctioned some exits, with Kepa Arrizabalaga joining Arsenal and Mathis Amougou moving to sister club Strasbourg, among others.
Maresca made the decision to leave Serbian international keeper Djordje Petrovic out of his CWC squad, and he has now sealed a move away from Stamford Bridge, with the club announcing his departure to fellow Premier League side Bournemouth with a message on Instagram on Wednesday (16 July), saying: “Goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic has joined AFC Bournemouth on a permanent transfer. We want to thank Djordje for his efforts in blue and wish him well for the future.”
Jackson left a like on the post as he also potentially nears the exit door, while Petrovic himself and club-captain Reece James also followed suit.
Chelsea should sell Jackson after signing Pedro and Delap
Football Insider verdict
Chelsea impressed on numerous fronts last season with Jackson as their first-choice striker for the majority of the campaign, but his recent CWC antics that saw him sent off against Flamengo will have seen him go down in Maresca’s estimations.
Not only has he made a rod for his own back, but he has seen serious striker competition arrive at the club in Pedro and Delap, with both players impressing in the Blues’ triumphant tournament, and the former even scoring in the final against PSG.
Neither of those two would have joined the West London outfit to play second-fiddle to the Senegalese international, and so it does look pretty likely that he departs, despite Football Insider revealing on 7 July that Chelsea are planning for Jackson to stay at the club.
| Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 81 | 30 | 12 |
Man United are also interested in a move for Jackson alongside Villa as they prepare to sell Rasmus Hojlund, so it is clear that the Blues are not set to be short of suitors if they are happy to let him depart.
Even though he did do well at times last season, they have brought in two strikers who have higher ceilings and have already shown their quality, so Chelsea should cash in on Jackson soon if they want to retain harmony within the squad.