Chelsea have slapped an £80 million price tag on striker Nicolas Jackson amid interest from Newcastle United, with initial talks already underway, according to reports.
The Senegalese forward, who joined from Villarreal two seasons ago, is expected to be part of a striker shake-up this summer as the Blues look to cash in.
Jackson endured a turbulent end to last season, receiving two red cards in the final stages which attracted scrutiny from fans and pundits alike.
With Chelsea having already signed Liam Delap and João Pedro from Brighton, Jackson now finds himself as a likely third-choice option under Enzo Maresca.
Newcastle, who had been pursuing Benjamin Šeško before Manchester United moved in, are reportedly eyeing Jackson as the ideal alternative.
Star striker Alexander Isak has yet to return to full training amid speculation linking him with a big-money move to Liverpool. Although the Reds recently signed Hugo Ekitike from Frankfurt, they remain keen on Isak, which may push Newcastle to act fast.
Ben Jacobs confirmed that “initial talks have already taken place” between Chelsea and Newcastle, with the Blues open to selling.
He added that Chelsea are prepared to sanction the exit, valuing Jackson at around £80 million, a figure that would represent a significant profit on the roughly £35 million they paid Villarreal in 2023.
More on Nicolas Jackson and Newcastle. Initial talks have already taken place.
Chelsea are prepared to sanction an exit. Newcastle were fully focused on Benjamin Sesko, but are now considering whether to make an approach.
Chelsea value Jackson around £80m.🇸🇳 https://t.co/9Xt1OVN3h2
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) August 6, 2025
Chelsea believes Nicolas Jackson is worth more than the £75 million packages that have been submitted for Šeško, and also the £79 million that Liverpool paid Frankfurt for Ekitike.
The expected departure of Jackson is part of a wider Chelsea summer clear-out that has already seen major exits. So far, the club has raked in over £170 million in confirmed sales including Noni Madueke for £50m, João Félix for £26m, Djordje Petrović for £25m, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for £28m, Kepa Arrizabalaga for £5m, Armando Broja for £20m, and Lesley Ugochukwu for £25m.
More exits are expected with the futures of players like Veiga, Carney Chukwuemeka, Christopher Nkunku, Raheem Sterling, Benoît Badiashile, David Datro Fofana, Ben Chilwell, and Deivid Washington all currently unresolved.
If Newcastle firm up their interest, Jackson could become the latest name to depart Stamford Bridge, completing a profitable turnaround for Chelsea while reinforcing a rival ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
