Nicolas Jackson: how Chelsea's cast-off became Aston Villa's City-killer
Signed from Chelsea for a reported £65 million to replace Ollie Watkins, Nicolas Jackson struggled with his finishing early in the season. His two goals against Manchester City made it seven in 11 games and showed why Unai Emery wanted him.
When Aston Villa needed a new striker this summer, they turned to a player Chelsea were willing to sell. On Saturday, Nicolas Jackson scored both goals as Villa beat Manchester City 2-1 and ended Enzo Maresca's perfect start.
The numbers
| Signed from | Chelsea, summer 2026 |
| Reported fee | £65 million |
| Villa record | 7 goals in 11 games |
| Against City | 2 goals (6', 60') |
Jackson arrived to replace Ollie Watkins, one of the most important players of Emery's era. That was not an easy act to follow.
A slow start
Jackson's early weeks at Villa looked a lot like his time at Chelsea: plenty of movement and chances, not enough goals. Emery admitted as much after the City game, joking that Jackson had been "shooting a lot of balls over the crossbar" earlier in the season. According to BBC data, his goals still trail his expected goals by two.
But the trend is clear. "Now, he's getting his shots better," Emery said.
What Emery likes
Emery's praise went beyond the goals: "Mature, experience, confidence, and he is very demanding himself." What the coach wants next is more runs behind the defence: "We need him more running in behind."
That is exactly how Jackson hurt City. For the first goal he reacted fastest when John McGinn won the ball from Marc Guéhi's heavy touch. For the second he arrived on Ibrahim Mbaye's cut-back and finished under Gianluigi Donnarumma.
What he said
"The players, the manager, the team — everything is incredible," Jackson told BBC Match of the Day. "It's just the beginning; we're trying to work game by game."
Why it matters for Villa
Villa had no home league win before Saturday; now they are sixth, unbeaten in their last four league games and perfect in the Champions League. If Jackson keeps scoring at this rate, Villa have a striker who suits Emery's counter-attacking style perfectly.
Read our Villa 2-1 City report, see the Premier League top scorers and the Champions League table.
FAQ
When did Nicolas Jackson join Aston Villa? In the summer of 2026, from Chelsea, for a reported £65 million.
How many goals has Jackson scored for Villa? Seven in his first 11 games, including both goals in the 2-1 win over Manchester City.
Who did Jackson replace at Villa? Ollie Watkins.
