Chelsea have dramatically reversed course on what appeared to be a done deal: the loan transfer of striker Nicolas Jackson to Bayern Munich has been abruptly cancelled. The U-turn has left the 24-year-old Senegalese forward marooned in Germany—and furious.
The decision followed a distressing scene in Chelsea’s 2-0 Premier League victory over Fulham, where summer signing Liam Delap limped off just 12–14 minutes into the match with a hamstring injury, which manager Enzo Maresca later described as likely ruling Delap out for six to eight weeks, or potentially longer.
Chelsea reportedly had already agreed on a €15 million loan fee with Bayern, including a €65 million (£56 million) purchase option, and permitted Jackson to travel to Munich to undergo a medical.
However, with Delap now sidelined, Blues officials—after consultation between the club’s leadership and Maresca—decided they could no longer afford to let Jackson depart.
Enzo Maresca, speaking post-match, emphasised the impracticality of heading into the season with only one recognized striker: “When you have two strikers, it’s enough. When one of them is injured for different weeks, probably it’s not enough.” He praised youngster Tyrique George, who played up front for over an hour against Fulham, calling his performance “brilliant.”
Complicating matters, Jackson remains in Munich. According to reports, the forward is refusing to return to London and is being advised—along with guidance from his agent, ex-striker Diomansy Kamara—to stay put until clarity is reached. Kamara made his feelings clear with a now-notorious social media post: “The plane doesn’t go backwards.”
Meanwhile, Bayern sporting director Max Eberl sounded uncertain about the deal’s future. He confirmed that Chelsea had “informed us that they want the player back after we reached an agreement … now the situation is that the boy is in Munich and we have to send him back,” but declined to speculate further.
Sources close to the negotiations echoed this turn of events: despite progress—including a signed agreement on the loan fee and buy option—no contract was finalized, leaving Chelsea free to rescind permission for the medical and request Jackson’s return.
For Jackson, who joined Chelsea from Villarreal in 2023 for a reported £32 million and signed a long-term contract extension earlier this year extending to 2033, the fallout is deeply personal.
Having registered 24 Premier League goals in 65 appearances and contributed significantly to Chelsea’s UEFA Conference League win and Club World Cup triumph, he had been sidelined recently amid disciplinary issues and squad reshaping under Maresca.
The wider context underscores Chelsea’s broader transfer activity: the club finalized the £40 million signing of Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United and tabled a €40 million (£34.5 million) bid for Barcelona midfielder Fermin López, though Barça are seeking closer to €90 million.
Chelsea are also understood to be exploring a move for Sporting Lisbon’s striker Conrad Harder to reinforce their forward line amid the Jackson saga and Delap’s absence.
As the transfer window nears its close, Chelsea’s striking options now appear limited to João Pedro, Jackson (pending resolution), and academy talents—a precarious scenario for a club competing on multiple fronts.