Chelsea sign Nicolas Jackson from Villarreal on eight-year deal as Mauricio Pochettino makes summer move

Nicolas Jackson has joined Chelsea on an eight-year contract from Villarreal, the Premier League side announced on Friday.

The Blues have signed the Senegal striker in a deal reportedly worth slightly more than his £30.1m release clause.

“We are excited to welcome Nicolas to Chelsea. He is a young player with big potential, as he showcased for Villarreal last season,” Chelsea’s co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said.

“We believe he is ready for this next step in his career and look forward to him working with our new head coach, Mauricio Pochettino, and his Chelsea team-mates.”

The 21-year-old arrived at Villarreal in 2020 and played for Villarreal B before representing the first team from 2021, and has since scored 13 goals in 47 games, registering six assists.

In a major shake-up this summer under owner Todd Boehly, Jackson adds to a forward line which was in need of reinforcing after mustering just 38 Premier League goals in 2022/23, when Chelsea finished 12th.

Jackson made his Senegal debut during the World Cup in Qatar when he came off the bench in a 2-0 defeat against the Netherlands in the group stage.

Pochettino’s tenure has already seen big changes, with Kai Havertz joining London rivals Arsenal, Mateo Kovacic signing for Manchester City, Ruben Loftus-Cheek heading to AC Milan and Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy and N’Golo Kante all moving to the Saudi Pro League.

“I feel I’m going to do amazing things here,” Jackson said in his announcement video.