£65m upgrade sees Jackson eclipse Watkins at Villa
When Ollie Watkins departed for Al‑Hilal, Aston Villa faced a glaring gap in goals after six seasons of the England forward delivering 91 Premier League strikes in 221 appearances. The club identified a need for a proven scorer who could adapt quickly, and turned to 25‑year‑old Senegal international Nicolas Jackson, signing him from Chelsea as the direct replacement.
Replacing a club legend
Jackson arrived in the summer for a deal worth up to £65m after two full seasons at Chelsea and a year on loan at Bayern Munich. At Stamford Bridge he had netted 24 times in 65 Premier League games, averaging a goal every 210 minutes with a 15 percent conversion rate. Villa expected the Senegalese striker to hit the ground running in claret and blue.
A fee that could pay off
Jackson has already delivered seven goals in his first 11 appearances, including six in his last six outings, helping Villa enjoy a 100 percent start in the Champions League and to recover from a sluggish Premier League opening. In the league he has scored four in seven games, averaging a goal every 138 minutes and improving his conversion to 21 percent, surpassing his expected‑goals tally by exactly two.
"The players, the manager, the team – everything is incredible," Jackson told BBC. "I'm very happy that I'm here and hopefully we can do amazing things together."
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Managerial link fuels progress
Former Villa and England defender Martin Keown praised the signing, saying, "I think he's an upgrade on Ollie Watkins. Ollie was magnificent for them, but this guy is more of a predator in and around the penalty area. Pace will always trouble top defenders and he looks like a really good piece of business right now."
Jackson also benefits from a previous partnership with manager Unai Emery, having spent three years under him at Villarreal before Chelsea paid £35m for the forward. Saturday’s win over Manchester City marked the fourth anniversary of Emery’s appointment, underscoring the impact of their shared history.
While Watkins left having consistently hit double‑figure tallies each season, Jackson’s involvement in general play and chance creation suggests a broader contribution. If his current run continues, the £65m outlay may prove a bargain compared with Watkins’ long‑term output.
On the bench, young Brazilian Alysson and Swiss international Johan Manzambi featured, while Nico O'Reilly remained an unused substitute, highlighting the depth Villa now enjoys.