Aston Villa sign Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson for reported club record

What the report says

Aston Villa have signed Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea in a move reported by Al Jazeera as a club-record deal worth 65 million pounds ($88 million). The transfer was announced on Friday, August 29, 2026, and Jackson has agreed a five-year contract with the Europa League holders. Villa manager Unai Emery, who previously coached Jackson at Villarreal, had already signaled that the deal was close before the club made it official.

Jackson is set to fill the gap left by Ollie Watkins, whose move to Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal is being finalised. Al Jazeera reported that Watkins’ departure would continue a wider reshaping of Villa’s squad, with several other players already linked to exits. The article also noted that Watkins, Villa’s leading Premier League scorer, was absent from the team’s 4-0 loss at Brighton last weekend amid the transfer process.

For Chelsea, Jackson departs after scoring 30 goals in 81 appearances in all competitions since arriving in 2023. His spell included helping the London club win the UEFA Conference League and the Club World Cup. He had also spent last season on loan at Bayern Munich, where he scored 11 goals and added Bundesliga and German Cup titles to his record. The move matters because it strengthens Villa’s attack while marking another high-profile change in Chelsea’s forward line.