A hamstring injury just 14 minutes into a Premier League match derailed the £69.2 million deal with Bayern Munich for Nicolas Jackson.
The privately booked flight turned futile, necessitating another for his return. All those hours spent negotiating a £12.9 million loan fee with a £56.3 million purchase option, alongside the retainment of Chelsea’s sell-on clause, seemed in vain.
The long-term residence Bayern secured in Munich for Jackson, who arrived with his entourage and advisor Diomansy Kamara, was rendered useless.
Such is the world of football. Jackson’s team was still lobbying for Chelsea to approve his departure on Saturday evening, banking on the power of money. A firm contract promise from Bayern, for instance, could change the scenario.
What stands certain is Chelsea’s directive for Jackson to return immediately. He was informed that permission for a medical was retracted. Jackson, bound to Chelsea until 2033, must comply with their directive.
The injury suffered by Liam Delap against Fulham on Saturday put a spanner in the works of Nicolas Jackson’s move to Bayern Munich
The Senegalese forward had already arrived in Munich when he, and his advisor, were recalled to London late on Saturday
Jackson’s advisor, former Fulham striker Diomansy Kamara, had posted on social media: ‘Airplanes don’t walk backwards… Munich.’
The incident followed Liam Delap’s injury, during a match where Chelsea led 2-0 with goals from Joao Pedro and Enzo Fernandez, prompting immediate crisis discussions on next steps.
This was before the 22-year-old Englishman had even been sent for a scan to determine the extent of the damage, though manager Enzo Maresca immediately suspected it was bad, given it was inflicted while sprinting at full speed in behind Fulham’s back line.
Without Delap, the only recognised striker is Joao Pedro. Sure, Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer, Estevao Willian and Tyrique George can be used there, but they are not true No 9s. George tried to fill in here after replacing Delap but struggled to have an impact and besides, the academy graduate is up for sale this weekend with Serie A club Roma among those interested in him.
The other options? Going back into the striker market was one. Messy, that. Expensive at the eleventh hour, too. Much simpler to keep the striker we already own, despite that being an awkward conversation to have with those involved.
Alejandro Garnacho, whose £40million signing from Manchester United, was announced a few hours later, was sitting in the owners’ box at Stamford Bridge. Presumably he will have seen the hullabaloo unfolding around him.
During the second half, several members of Chelsea’s coaching staff huddled together for a conversation in the dugout. The injured Cole Palmer was sat directly next to them, listening in. We thought it was to talks tactics with Fulham frustrating the life out of them. Maybe it was, or perhaps they had been told the news.
Chelsea’s hierarchy had reached the decision that they should immediately inform Bayern – and Jackson – of their intention to cancel his loan. After full-time, Garnacho made his way to the Chelsea changing room alongside Behdad Eghbali, Chelsea’s hands-on co-owner, and Sam Jewell, the director of global recruitment, to meet his new team-mates and manager.
During the second half, several members of Chelsea’s coaching staff huddled together for a conversation in the dugout. The injured Cole Palmer was sat directly next to them, listening in
Jackson now looks set to stay in west London until at least January after a dramatic turnaround
Enzo Maresca walked in for his post-match press conference and was asked, explicitly, whether it was too late to cancel Jackson’s loan. ‘We finished the game, I came here, I have no idea,’ he told us. ‘Serious, honest, I don’t have any idea.’
Less than an hour later, the news broke that Chelsea had told Jackson to fly back to London because he was going to be representing them until January at the very least. As of last night, however, he was still in Munich.
His agent, Ali Barat, has been involved in multiple deals with the Blues this summer. Noni Madueke to Arsenal, Renato Veiga to Villarreal, Carney Chukwuemeka and Aaron Anselmino to Borussia Dortmund – he handled all of those departures. Jackson was supposed to be the fifth, but now, Barat has a new issue to handle. That is how to navigate his striker accepting that he has to play for a club who were prepared to sell him and in front of fans who know he was willing to be sold. That is dependent on Jackson returning to London, of course.
This story is not finished. It is only just beginning.
