Aston Villa sign Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson for record fee amid Watkins exit

Aston Villa have completed the signing of forward Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea in a deal worth up to 65 million pounds, a move that coincides with the expected departure of striker Ollie Watkins to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal. The transfer marks a significant shift in the club's attacking options as manager Unai Emery continues a major squad overhaul. Jackson, 25, becomes Villa's record signing, surpassing the fee paid for Johan Manzambi earlier in the summer. His arrival follows a series of high-profile exits, with key players including Morgan Rogers, Ezri Konsa, Youri Tielemans, and Lucas Digne having already left the club. The disruption was evident in Villa's opening Premier League match, a 4-0 defeat to Brighton on August 24, where the team started without a recognized center-forward due to injuries and Watkins' unavailability. The signing provides Emery with a specialist striker, a position of acute need. It also appears to signal the end of Watkins' six-year spell at Villa Park, during which he scored 108 goals in 278 appearances and became a central figure in the club's resurgence under Emery.