Aston Villa sign Nicolas Jackson as Ollie Watkins exit looms

Aston Villa have signed 25‑year‑old striker Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea for a fee that could reach £65 million, while veteran centre‑forward Ollie Watkins is expected to leave the club for Saudi Pro League side Al‑Hilal. The deal completes a summer of major squad changes for Unai Emery’s side, which already saw the departures of Morgan Rogers, Ezri Konsa, Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne.

Jackson’s arrival makes him Villa’s record signing, surpassing the former transfer of Johan Manzambi. The move gives Emery a new specialist striker after a season in which the club endured a 4‑0 defeat at Brighton on the opening weekend. Watkins, who had scored 108 goals in 278 games for Villa, will leave after six seasons and 21 goals in the Premier League.

Jackson spent the 2025‑26 campaign on loan at Bayern Munich, where he scored 11 goals and provided three assists in 1,320 minutes across all competitions, a goal‑involvement rate of 1.0 per 90 minutes. Watkins had 21 goals and five assists in 3,837 minutes for Villa, averaging 0.6 per 90. In terms of shot creation, Jackson averaged 3.8 shots per 90 and 2.2 shots on target, compared with Watkins’ 2.6 shots and 1.2 on target. His expected‑goals (xG) figure was 0.7 per 90, higher than Watkins’ 0.5. Jackson also averaged 8.5 touches in the opposition box, versus Watkins’ 5.6.

Both forwards were predominantly used as central strikers last season – Jackson 95% of his time at Bayern and Watkins 92% for Villa. However, Jackson’s overall involvement in play was markedly greater. He averaged 46.6 open‑play touches per 90, almost double Watkins’ 29.5, and completed 24 passes per 90 compared with Watkins’ 11.6. Jackson also generated more chances for teammates, with 1.6 shot‑ending carries, 1.6 successful take‑ons and 2.5 passes into the penalty area per 90, compared with 0.8, 0.82 and 0.7 respectively for Watkins.

Statistical analysis from Opta places Jackson in the 85th percentile for chances created, 77th for progressive carries and 73rd for touches among the top five European league strikers over the past decade, while Watkins sits in the 28th, 53rd and eighth percentiles. When Villa lost possession, Jackson averaged 34 high pressures per 90 and won the ball 2.7 times per 90, slightly above Watkins’ 31.4 pressures and 1.8 ball recoveries. In the final third, Jackson won the ball 0.9 times per 90, versus Watkins’ 0.6, placing him in the 88th percentile for possession wins in the attacking third compared with Watkins’ 43rd.

Jackson’s development under Emery is a factor for Villa. The forward played 27 matches for Villarreal under Emery, scoring three goals and providing three assists. He has credited the Spanish manager with transforming his understanding of the game. “Unai taught me everything about football,” Jackson said. He added that when he first arrived from Senegal he possessed natural dribbling ability but lacked a deeper tactical awareness, a gap he says Emery helped close.

After leaving Villarreal, Jackson was signed by Chelsea in 2023. He scored 30 goals and supplied 12 assists in 81 appearances for the club before spending the 2025‑26 season on loan at Bayern. His time in Munich was limited by the presence of Harry Kane, Luis Diaz and Michael Olise, but he still managed 11 goals and was praised by Bayern coach Vincent Kompany for his training ethic and performance.

Villa’s decision to bring Jackson in appears aimed at replacing a different type of number nine. While Watkins was a reliable goal scorer and physical presence, Jackson offers more touches, carries, and creative involvement, and a higher rate of shot‑creating and high‑pressure actions in limited minutes. Whether those per‑90 figures will hold over a full Premier League campaign remains to be seen, but the club’s new striker brings a younger profile and a distinct set of attributes that may change how Villa build and finish attacks.