Tottenham Hotspur have made their move to hijack Aston Villa's bid to sign Chelsea star Nicolas Jackson, according to Football FanCast.
Spurs have had a very busy summer with six new arrivals before the season started, including record-breaking deals for midfield duo Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali. Roberto De Zerbi is also keen to add to his attacking options before the September 1st deadline, and a deal has been agreed to sign Man City star Savinho, while they are also pushing to agree a move for Omar Marmoush.
But the club are still keen to add a third attacking option to the squad, and with a deal for Liverpool star Cody Gakpo stalling, Spurs are ready to go for an alternative option.
According to a report, Tottenham are now in direct contact with Chelsea over a move to sign Senegal international Jackson ahead of Aston Villa.
The north London side want to understand the conditions to get a deal done before they pull the trigger on another big-money move, with the Blues understood to be looking for around £65m to let him leave. Should Spurs make their move, it could take their spending up to more than £400m for the window.
Villa are understood to be braced to make a move, with Unai Emery a big fan of the player, as they prepare for the potential exit of Ollie Watkins. The England international is a top target for Al Hilal and the Villans have already rejected four offers for his services. However, GIVEMESPORT sources understand that the player has told club chiefs he wants to make the move.
Jackson spent last season on loan at Bayern Munich after falling out of favour under Enzo Maresca, but he found himself behind Harry Kane there too, scoring 11 goals and registering four assists in 34 appearances across 1,320 minutes.
He has spent pre-season at Chelsea working under Xabi Alonso, but the Blues have since brought in Danny Welbeck, and also have all of Joao Pedro, Emmanuel Emegha, and Liam Delap on their books for the position. That has made him surplus to requirements, and he is expected to leave before the window shuts.
Marmoush Versatility Could Unlock Deal
Spurs want players who are versatile to play in their attack, and the current idea is that Marmoush is coming in to play as a number nine, with Savinho and Gakpo either side of him.
But if Gakpo ends up staying at Anfield, a move for Jackson would make a lot of sense as Marmoush could move over to the wing, and a focal point in the number nine role could help to get the best out of those around him too.
£65m is a big outlay, but Jackson has experience at the highest level and has proven that he can score goals. Disrupting Aston Villa's plans to bring him in will weaken a rival too, so it could be a shrewd move.