Despite departing Chelsea in a strange way on transfer deadline day, Nicolas Jackson maintains he has no ill will against Enzo Maresca. Jackson’s season-long loan from the Blues to Bayern Munich ultimately materialized despite Chelsea’s change of heart.
The Senegal international was originally scheduled to sign with Bayern in the days leading up to the deadline, but Liam Delap’s injury derailed those plans. Before Jackson had time to finish his physical, Chelsea insisted that he return from Munich and start again.
Nevertheless, Jackson and his agents were determined to close a deal, and in the end, they were successful, as Chelsea called up Marc Guiu from Sunderland. For £13 million, it made it possible for Jackson to sign a loan deal with Bayern. If he plays a certain amount of games, the German powerhouses will have to pay £56.2 million to purchase him permanently the following summer.
Jackson spent £30 million to join Chelsea from Villarreal in the summer of 2023, and he scored 30 goals in 81 games for the team. However, Delap and Joao Pedro’s arrivals pushed him down the hierarchy, and Maresca lost trust in him after a run of red cards.
Jackson sends message to Enzo Maresca after ‘sad’ Chelsea exit
Jackson’s situation in West London rapidly altered throughout the summer, despite his management describing him as the perfect no. 9 as recently as April. Nevertheless, the former Villarreal player has positive memories of his time spent at Maresca.
Cycles are a big part of football. Things don’t always go as planned, and that’s just part of the game. I learned a lot from Maresca, and I admire him. He thinks and dresses differently. All I needed at this point in my career was something different. Just thankfulness for my time at Chelsea, no regrets.
Joining a Bayern team full of elite players, he will face players like Michael Olise, Luis Diaz, Serge Gnabry, and Harry Kane for a spot in the starting lineup. After the international break on Saturday, Jackson may make his Bundesliga debut against Hamburg, given Bayern has already won both of its games this season.
