Aston Villa now set to miss out on Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson

Aston Villa’s hopes of bringing Nicolas Jackson to Villa Park look to be diminishing, with reports in Germany suggesting the Chelsea forward is on the verge of a switch to Bayern Munich.

The 24-year-old has been informed he can leave Stamford Bridge this summer, raising the possibility of a reunion with former Villarreal coach Unai Emery. However, Bayern are now emerging as favourites for his signature.

It was reported last week that Aston Villa were leading the race for his signature, but Newcastle United and Bayern Munich were also in the hunt to sign the Senegalese 24-year old, but things have since taken a turn over the weekend.

🚨 Chelsea have agreed a deal to loan Nicolas Jackson to Bayern Munich.

(Source: @BILD_Sport) pic.twitter.com/K0rf7RvdY0

— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) August 26, 2025

Bayern take the lead

According to Bild in Germany, Jackson has already agreed personal terms with the Bundesliga champions and they are seeking an initial loan deal and are currently negotiating the financial details with Chelsea.

Villa had been keen on a deal but were exploring the payment structure details with Chelsea, who are demanding an up-front loan fee and an obligation to purchase Jackson permanently next summer. Aston Villa had reportedly been pushing Chelsea to lower their price, but Bayern are reportedly willing to meet the terms.

Signed for around £30 million two years ago, Jackson managed 10 goals for Chelsea last season. But following the arrivals of Liam Delap and Joao Pedro, the Senegal international has slipped down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge.

While Chelsea are believed to favour a permanent transfer, Bayern are only interested in an initial loan this summer. Earlier this week, sporting director Max Eberl had suggested Jackson was not on their radar, but Bild now claims senior figures at the club, including board member Uli Hoeness, have revived the move as a backup plan.

The Bundesliga giants had initially targeted Germany international Nick Woltemade of Stuttgart, but with that deal collapsing, Jackson is now viewed as their “Plan B.”

Bild added: "Jackson had already been discussed in Munich earlier this month. At the time, he was considered an option if Woltemade could not be signed."

Huge blow for Aston Villa

Missing out on Jackson would be a major blow for Villa, who desperately need to bring in a few more new faces before the transfer window ends this week.

They also remain goalless after their first two Premier League games of the new season and are already facing scrutiny over their lack of firepower. Emery has made no secret of his desire to strengthen in attack, but with financial rules restricting their room for manoeuvre, Villa have struggled to get deals over the line. Securing a proven Premier League forward who can add another dimension to the attack is becoming increasingly urgent, and with time in the window running out, pressure is mounting on the club to deliver much-needed reinforcements.