Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso is prepared to offer Nicolas Jackson a second opportunity with the club following the striker’s loan spell at Bayern Munich, according to reports from the Daily Mail. The move comes as Chelsea look to reshape their attacking options ahead of the 2026/27 season.
Jackson initially joined Chelsea in the summer of 2023 from Villarreal for a reported €37 million. Despite showing flashes of potential, his time in West London was marked by inconsistency, resulting in 24 Premier League goals across two seasons alongside concerns about discipline. Seeking a fresh start, the club loaned him to Bayern Munich for the 2025/26 campaign.
At Bayern, Jackson served as a backup to Harry Kane, making a positive impact with eight goals in 1003 minutes of Bundesliga action and three goals in 313 minutes of Champions League play. This solid performance has seemingly convinced Alonso of the player’s potential. Jackson remains under contract at Stamford Bridge for another seven years, setting the stage for his return during pre-season.
Chelsea are expected to make sales in their attacking department, with Joao Pedro and Liam Delap already on the books, and Emmanuel Emegha arriving from Strasbourg this summer. Delap is considered the most likely player to depart, having scored only one Premier League goal last season and lacking the versatility to play in wider positions. His contract, while lengthy, is also shorter than Jackson’s.
Interestingly, data analytics firm SciSports currently ranks Jackson as the fifth-best pure centre-forward in the world, with a ‘SciSkill’ score of 120.5. This places him behind Harry Kane (138.0), Erling Haaland (136.8), Robert Lewandowski (122.2), and Kylian Mbappe (121.8). The firm notes a period of ‘rapid improvement’ in Jackson’s play over the last six months, surpassing players like Julian Alvarez who have attracted significant interest from top European clubs. Alonso’s decision to give Jackson another chance appears to be supported by this data, representing a low-risk move with potentially high rewards for Chelsea.
