Atletico de Madrid open talks over possible Nicolas Jackson return

Atletico de Madrid have begun discussions with Chelsea over a possible move for Nicolas Jackson, as the Senegal international looks for a route back into regular first-team football.

Jackson, who spent last season on loan at Bayern Munich, has again found himself on the fringes at Chelsea. The 25-year-old striker has been left out of manager Xabi Alonso’s squad and is considering his options before the summer transfer window closes.

According to Marca, Atletico have identified Jackson as their leading attacking target. The Madrid club are seeking additional firepower because Alexander Sørloth is injured, while Julian Alvarez’s future remains uncertain.

Jackson is already familiar with Spanish football, having previously played for Villarreal. A return to La Liga is understood to appeal to the forward, who is attracted by the prospect of reviving his career in a competition where he has previously made an impression.

Atletico sporting director Mateu Alemany has travelled to London to hold direct negotiations with Chelsea’s leadership. The Spanish club’s preferred solution is a loan deal, allowing them to complete the signing before the summer transfer window shuts.

However, reaching an agreement is proving difficult because the two clubs have different expectations over the financial terms. Chelsea are willing to listen to approaches for Jackson but do not want to sell him below what they consider to be an appropriate value.

The London club are also reluctant to sanction a second successive loan. Chelsea’s preference is for a permanent transfer so they can recover value from their investment in the striker, rather than send him away temporarily once again.

That position has made the talks particularly complicated. While Jackson would welcome the chance to return to Spain, Chelsea’s desire for a permanent sale could prevent Atletico from completing the move on their preferred terms.

Jackson is currently valued at 40m euros by Transfermarkt. The Banjul-born forward remains under contract with Chelsea until 30 June 2033, giving the club a strong contractual position during negotiations.

During his time in Germany, Jackson was reported to earn an annual salary of 6m euros, equivalent to 3.9bn CFA francs. Any agreement with Atletico would therefore also have to take account of the financial commitment involved in the player’s wages.

Chelsea are due to begin their English top-flight campaign against Fulham shortly. The match has also been listed by betting company 1xBet, which gives Chelsea odds of 2.00 to win, 3.55 for a draw and 3.10 for a Fulham victory.

For now, Jackson’s immediate future remains unresolved. Atletico are pushing for a loan, the player is open to returning to Spanish football, and Chelsea are weighing whether a permanent transfer can be secured instead.