Chelsea are about to turn two unwanted strikers into £115 million. Liam Delap is heading to Nottingham Forest, Nicolas Jackson to Aston Villa, and Xabi Alonso's rebuild fund is about to get very healthy.
Delap's move is the one closest to the finish line. The 23-year-old is due to undergo a medical at Forest ahead of a deal worth up to £50 million — £45m upfront with £5m in add-ons. Chelsea bought him from Ipswich for £30m just twelve months ago. He managed three goals in 49 appearances and already had his No. 9 stripped from him in favour of Joao Pedro. Forest are paying a 67% premium on that. For a player with those numbers, Chelsea have pulled off a serious piece of business.
Jackson's valuation tells its own story
The Jackson deal carries more weight. Aston Villa are prepared to meet Chelsea's £65 million asking price, which would make the Senegalese striker their record signing. Unai Emery needs a centre-forward to cover the likely departure of Ollie Watkins to Al-Hilal, and Jackson fits the profile — physical, direct, capable of double figures in a season.
Chelsea signed him from Villarreal for £32m in 2023. He scored 30 goals in 81 appearances, spent last season at Bayern Munich where he netted 11 goals as Kane's backup, and Bayern still passed on a £56m permanent option. Villa are now paying £9m more than Bayern wouldn't. Either Emery sees something the Germans missed, or Villa's desperation is doing some of the negotiating for Chelsea.
From a betting perspective, Villa's striker options just got an overhaul. If Watkins leaves and Jackson arrives, their attacking output and underlying goals markets shift considerably — especially early in the season while the new man finds his rhythm.
Chelsea's window isn't done yet
The twin sales are expected to fund Chelsea's final push before Monday's 11pm deadline. Enzo Fernandez is the name to watch — Manchester City are reportedly considering a £120 million bid for the midfielder, which would dwarf even the Jackson and Delap fees combined.
Alonso, when pressed after Chelsea's 3-2 win at Fulham, offered this: "In football, I am not surprised by anything. We will see what will happen this week." That's not reassurance. That's a manager who knows something is moving.
Should Fernandez go, Bournemouth's Alex Scott is reportedly the preferred replacement — though Chelsea already had a £64m bid rejected for him last month. The window closes in days. Chelsea's transfer activity has been chaotic, expensive, and occasionally brilliant. This week might be all three at once.
