Soccer-Villa sign Jackson from Chelsea to bolster attack

Aston Villa have signed Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson on ​a permanent transfer, the Premier League club announced ​on Friday as they look ‌to bolster ​their depleted frontline following a couple of high-profile departures. British media reported that Villa had paid Chelsea an initial sum of 47.5 million pounds ($64.26 ‌million) for the 25-year-old, with a further 17.5 million pounds in add-ons.

"The 37-cap Senegal international, who represented his country at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, has joined on a permanent transfer," read the statement. Jackson previously played ‌under Aston Villa manager Unai Emery at Villarreal, scoring 12 goals in 26 league matches during ‌the 2022-23 LaLiga season.

He joined Chelsea in the summer of 2023, scoring 30 goals in 81 appearances across all competitions and helping them win the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup, but supporters were left divided by his ⁠inconsistent finishing. He ​spent last season on ⁠loan at Bayern Munich, where he scored 11 goals and won the Bundesliga and German Cup. He has also played 37 ⁠times for Senegal and was part of their squads for the 2022 and 2026 World Cups.

Jackson's signing brings some ​much-needed firepower to Villa's squad following the exit of Morgan Rogers for a British transfer ⁠record fee to Chelsea, while Unai Emery also confirmed striker Ollie Watkins is set to join Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal. Villa qualified for the ⁠Champions ​League with a top-four finish in the Premier League last season and also ended a 30-year wait for silverware by winning the Europa League.

Despite their success, the Midlands club have been forced ⁠to sell some of their best players in the transfer window due to financial regulations, with defender ⁠Ezri Konsa and midfielder ⁠Youri Tielemans joining Arsenal and Manchester United respectively. Villa, who began their Premier League campaign with a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion, next ‌host champions Arsenal ‌on Monday.

($1 = 0.7392 pounds)