Shock Arsenal move for Chelsea star revealed in four-club race for Thierry Henry-approved star

February 16, 2025
7:02 pm

Arsenal are reportedly plotting a surprise move for Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson, but face competition from Atletico Madrid and two other Premier League clubs for his signing.

The Gunners were looking to add a striker to their ranks in January following Gabriel Jesus’ season-ending injury, but their £40m bid for Ollie Watkins fell short of Aston Villa’s valuation and top targets Alexander Isak and Benjamin Sesko were beyond their reach in the middle of the season.

Kai Havertz’s hamstring injury means Mikel Arteta will have to make do without a striker for the rest of the season, with Mikel Merino proving to be the makeshift hero against Leicester on Saturday.

A report in Spain (via Sport Witness) claims that Jackson has been added to their shortlist of options in the summer.

The Senegal international is also currently sidelined through injury and Arsenal’s interest may come as a surprise given Jackson had failed to find the net in eight games before being ruled out of the defeat to Brighton on Friday.

But he did impress at the start of the season, scoring nine goals in his first 15 appearances, with Arsenal legend Thierry Henry giving his seal of approval in December.

“He’s on his way to being that [the real deal] but it’s a long road,” Henry told Sky Sports Monday Night Football.

“One thing that is difficult when you play for a club like Chelsea and teams who are at the top is that you get compared to who was there before.

“And maybe you’re not the same kind of striker, you’re a different striker, but you’re going to get compared to Drogba.”

It won’t be easy for Arsenal to land the 23-year-old, who joined Chelsea from Villarreal for around £30m in 2023 and recently signed a two-year extension to his already long contract which now expires in 2033.

The report also claims that Aston Villa, Newcastle and Atletico Madrid are also keeping tabs on the Blues star – valued at €50m (£41.5m) by Transfermarkt – who has frequently been criticised for his inconsistency in front of goal.

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Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel was particularly critical of Jackson after the 3-1 defeat to Manchester City last month.

“Your job is to f***ing score the goals, that’s why you were brought to the football club. Put the ball in the back of the net and try to score. He didn’t do that,” Mikel said.

“I have nothing against Nicolas Jackson and every time I talk about him, it’s like I have something against him, it’s like I’m trying to get Victor [Osimhen] to come to the football club. No it’s not, I’ve said it,’ Obi Mikel added.

“If the people at the top of the club don’t get Victor… Viktor Gyokeres’ goalscoring stats are unreal. We need somebody who can score goals to get us there. We don’t have that.

“The reason why we succeeded in my time and, again, I’m not trying to compare him with Didier [Drogba], because we had somebody that when we called upon him he was there to put the ball in the back of the net. We don’t have that right now.

“Nicolas Jackson, he’s doing well with his combinations. But he’s not a goalscorer and that’s what we need.”