Chelsea finalising deal to sell £65m star to Atletico after Xabi Alonso decision

Jacskon is not in Alonso’s plans (Picture: Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

Atletico Madrid are finalising a deal to sign Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson on loan.

The Blues are still working to trim their bloated squad before the summer transfer window deadline with Jackson admired by Aston Villa, Tottenham and Napoli. They have placed a £65million asking price on the 25-year-old.

But Atletico are now leading the race for his signature with reports in Spain claiming they are on the brink of sealing a move for the Senegal international.

COPE report Atletico’s sporting director Mateu Alemany travelled to London on Thursday to complete the loan deal which will include an option or obligation to make permanent next summer.

The move comes as Atletico battle to hold onto Julian Alvarez. The Argentina international is desperate to join Barcelona but his club are refusing to do business with the Catalan giants, willing to sell him to Arsenal instead.

COPE report Jackson will arrive in Madrid to bolster Diego Simeone’s attack rather than replace anyone. In addition to the speculation over his future, Alvarez is still working his way back to full fitness after his post-World Cup break with Alexander Sorloth set to miss the start of the campaign through injury.

Atletico are in action against Villarreal this weekend as the new La Liga campaign gets underway.

Atletico closing in (Picture: Venron Yuen/Nexpher via ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)

With more than 40 first-team players listed as members of the squad, Xabi Alonso has been forced to split his squad as he prepares for Chelsea’s Premier League opener against Fulham on Monday.

Chelsea have insisted the group on the periphery should not be considered a ‘bomb squad’ – the group of players effectively exiled from the first-team last summer – but they certainly do not feature in Alonso’s long-term plans at Chelsea.

Jackson featured for Chelsea in pre-season (Picture: Getty)

Jackson is currently part of that group training away from the first-team.

Chelsea signed Jackson in a £32m deal from Villarreal in 2023, immediately becoming first-choice striker at Stamford Bridge and scoring 17 goals in all competitions.

Jackson also hit double digits during the 2024-25 campaign but following the arrivals of Liam Delap and Joao Pedro last summer, was loaned out to Bayern Munich to serve as Harry Kane’s understudy.

Jackson was hoping to earn a permanent move to Bayern but the necessary conditions were not met and the Bundesliga champions opted against making a new deal with Chelsea.

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