Unai Emery has already explained why he wants to sign Nicolas Jackson for Aston Villa
Aston Villa’s transfer window finally looks to be coming to life as they target a move for Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson.
Unai Emery is targeting a reunion with Jackson after he coached the Senegalese striker during their time together at Spanish side Villarreal.
Aston Villa had been eyeing a move for the 24-year-old in the summer of 2023, before he agreed on a switch to Chelsea.
Emery is a big fan of Jackson, and he could finally reunite with his former number nine.
Jackson is ‘progressively getting better’ with his performances – Emery
Aston Villa have so far had to sit back and watch their Premier League rivals conduct their transfer business this summer.
The Villans have been unable to splash the cash with Profit and Sustainability rules still hanging over them.
However, the sale of Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle for £40million appears to have given them an injection of money.
According to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg on X, Villa have added Jackson to their shortlist and are closely monitoring his situation.
In December 2024, Emery spoke at length about what makes Jackson such a good striker and how he came through at Villarreal.
“He (Jackson) was starting the pre-season with the U21s, and when he was progressively coming to train with us, he was showing his potential,” Emery told Sky Sports.
“We worked during the one year on his skill, and he improved his understanding better, how he could exploit his potential. And playing minutes and getting experience were the next step.
- Jackson played 48 games under Emery at Villarreal
- The striker caught the eye as a youngster at Casa Sports before moving to Spain
- He scored 13 times for the Spanish outfit before transferring to Chelsea
“But his attitude as well was fantastic. He was always learning. He was always demanding to train more, to be focused.
“He was also being a professional every day out of training sessions at home because he was focused on football as the first priority in his life.
“And the consequences are coming. It’s coming because he signed for Chelsea. Last year, he was adapting so quickly, but he was progressively getting better – sometimes without the performance – and now he is showing.”
Jackson has come under fire at Chelsea for his performances over the last couple of seasons, but Emery clearly has the ability to get the best out of him.
Can Emery accommodate Ollie Watkins and Jackson?
Aston Villa had issues accommodating both Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran when the Colombian was at Villa Park.
| Player | Games | Goals | Assists | Minutes per goal |
| Watkins | 470 | 172 | 74 | 204 |
| Jackson | 173 | 51 | 27 | 224 |
Should Jackson sign, he would face a similar issue up front.
Both strikers offer a physical presence, but Jackson can also play on the wing, though he will want to play through the middle at Villa.
Emery is clearly a fan of his former forward and could choose to utilise him as a potential second striker or in a deeper number ten role.
If not, Watkins could be displaced and the Villans could have another Duran situation, with the England international wanting to leave.
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