(Credit: Imago)

Pete O'Rourke, Transfer Correspondent

Fri 22 August 2025 16:55, UK

Nicolas Jackson’s £60million price tag must come down for Aston Villa to have any chance of signing him this summer, sources have told Football Insider.

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Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, senior correspondent Pete O’Rourke revealed what sources have told him about Villa’s continued pursuit of the Chelsea striker.

Aston Villa will have no issue paying Jackson’s wages after a loan-to-buy move was mooted, but Chelsea are currently holding firm on their £60m valuation of Jackson despite his fall down their pecking order.

Football Insider revealed on 15 August that Jackson has his heart set on Aston Villa and has told friends as much, but a reunion with Unai Emery is still some way off for the Senegal striker due to that price tag.

Sources have told Football Insider that Aston Villa “can’t get near” a £60m fee for Jackson at present, putting the onus on Emery to raise funds with Jackson still expected to leave Chelsea before the end of the transfer window.

Jackson could still be on his way to Villa Park this summer (Credit: Manh Tung, Breaking Media)

Football Insider revealed on 11 August that Chelsea’s reduction of Jackson’s transfer fee had alerted Newcastle to his availability, pitting them against Villa in the race to sign the Blues’ £60m frontman.

Speaking on the new Inside Track podcast, O’Rourke was asked if Aston Villa can realistically hope to sign Jackson this summer, after his slip behind Joao Pedro and Liam Delap in Chelsea’s striking ranks.

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“The prohibitive thing for Aston Villa would be his price tag”, he told Football Insider.

“Chelsea are holding out for big money for Nicolas Jackson – £60million plus, after it was initially even higher.

“That would be hard for Villa to meet.

Unless his price tag was to come down, Villa wouldn’t be able to get near those figures.

“There will be a bit of movement on Jackson between now and the end of the window, because [Aston Villa] are seeing that Chelsea are planning for life without him.

“If Aston Villa can raise the funds, I’m sure Unai Emery would love the chance to be reunited with the Senegal international.”

Ollie Watkins could be sold to fund a move for Nicolas Jackson (Credit: Imago)

Aston Villa remain in the hunt to sign Jackson and may be able to afford the £60m fee required before the end of the window, but more painful sales may be required in order to stump up that transfer fee.

The Villans’ continued PSR worries could force Ollie Watkins out of Villa Park this summer and would leave a huge gap up front for Jackson to potentially fill, but Emery will want to avoid any further sales.

Jacob Ramsey has already departed for Newcastle and links with moves for Morgan Rogers and Emi Martinez continue, but it remains to be seen if another popular will be sacrificed in order to sign Jackson.

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