Chelsea announce the Signing of Villarreal's Nicolas Jackson

Chelsea confirm the signing of Senegalese striker Nicolas Jackson from Villarreal on an eight-year deal.

Chelsea FC has officially confirmed the acquisition of Senegalese international Nicolas Jackson from Spanish outfit Villarreal.

The 22-year-old, who enjoyed a breakout season in La Liga with 12 goals to his name, has agreed to an eight-year contract with the London-based club.

This announcement comes after weeks of speculation.

Co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley expressed their enthusiasm over the transfer.

"We are excited to welcome Nicolas to Chelsea. He is a young player with enormous potential, as he demonstrated for Villarreal last season. We are confident that he is ready for this next step in his career and eagerly anticipate his integration with our new head coach, Mauricio Pochettino, and his Chelsea teammates."

Jackson was born in The Gambia but spent the majority of his formative years in Senegal, which he represents at the international level.

His professional journey began at Senegal Premier League side Casa Sports. In September 2019, he moved to Villarreal, where he eventually established his reputation as a reliable striker.

His first exposure to senior European football came via a loan spell at Spanish second-tier team Mirandes, followed by a season with Villarreal’s B side, where he scored both goals in their play-off final victory, securing promotion from the third tier.

Last season, Jackson made an impressive 38 appearances across all competitions for Villarreal.

His stellar performances at club level saw him earn a call-up for the Senegal World Cup squad.

Nicolas Jackson made his international debut at the tournament in Qatar.

Jackson's impressive run extended to the end of the 2022/23 La Liga season, where he scored nine goals in the final eight matches and secured the Player of the Month award for May.

The arrival of Nicolas Jackson at Stamford Bridge signifies an exciting phase in Chelsea FC's ongoing squad development under the new stewardship of Mauricio Pochettino.