Nicolas Jackson left out of Chelsea squad for pre season clash

KIERAN GILL reports Nicolas Jackson is left out of Chelsea’s squad for a Stamford Bridge friendly as the club weighs a move away.

Chelsea face transfer crossroads as Jackson sits out pre-season clash

Nicolas Jackson was not included in Chelsea’s squad for the Stamford Bridge friendly against Bayer Leverkusen, with the club signalling openness to letting him move this month. The Senegal forward trained alone at Cobham while the rest prepared for the match, and Chelsea has told him to pursue a transfer if it benefits the squad.

Chelsea confirmed talks with multiple clubs and warned that a sale would be sanctioned only if it matches the club’s best interests. Newcastle United have been linked as a potential destination after missing out on Benjamin Sesko, while Chelsea are viewed as valuing Jackson higher than the fees paid for Sesko and Hugo Ekitike. Jackson, 24, is suspended for the first game of the season after an elbow incident against Sven Botman in May.

The omission signals Chelsea’s willingness to entertain bids and shape the squad before the season starts. It also highlights a broader pattern: a big club testing market appetite against a rising player with Premier League experience and a clear price tag. If Chelsea maintain a high valuation, the window could tilt toward a buyer’s market or push the club to pursue alternative targets. The situation also points to Newcastle’s readiness to switch targets after Sesko, illustrating how clubs chase a balance between ambition and budget in real time.

Together, the moves at Chelsea and interest from Newcastle underline a shifting transfer landscape where price and timing matter as much as talent. For Jackson, the next weeks will determine whether he stays in a bigger picture plan or becomes a genuine window casualty that triggers a broader reshuffle at the top level of the squad.

Highlights

Markets rarely lie, and this summer will reveal how Chelsea balances ambition with discipline.