Chelsea have remarkably pulled the plug on Nicolas Jackson’s loan move to Bayern Munich worth up to €80million after Liam Delap’s hamstring injury in their Premier League win over Fulham.
Jackson landed in Germany to complete his transfer on Saturday – on an initial loan worth €15m with an option worth €65m plus a sell-on clause, all of which had been fully agreed between the two clubs – only to be told he had to come back to England.
Delap had to be substituted in the 14th minute of Chelsea’s 2-0 victory after picking up his problem while breaking in behind Fulham’s back line, with manager Enzo Maresca asked afterwards whether it was too late to cancel Jackson’s big move to Munich.
Maresca said he had ‘no idea’ and added they ‘will see’ if they need to enter the striker market before deadline day on Monday.
However, news then broke within an hour of Maresca’s comments that Chelsea would not be proceeding with Jackson’s proposed move.
It is believed the 24-year-old Senegal striker was less than pleased upon learning of the decision that had been made.
Chelsea had spent the last month searching for a new home for Jackson after bringing in Delap and Joao Pedro amid a significant summer of trading.
Delap’s injury, described as ‘not good’ by Maresca, would have left them short in the striker position. They can also use Tyrique George, Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer and Estevao Willian up top, but none are true No 9s.
Rather than being sent to train with the ‘bomb squad’ at Cobham, Jackson had been training with Maresca’s first team over the last month in case he stayed.
