Enzo Maresca issues Nicolas Jackson statement as Chelsea open door to transfer exit

Enzo Maresca has opened the door for the sale of Nicolas Jackson in this transfer window. The Senegal striker is a target for Newcastle if they sell Alexander Isak this summer.

New FIFA World Club Cup winners Chelsea have signed Joao Pedro and Liam Delap to bolster their attacking ranks. Jackson was signed for £32m from Villareal in June 2023 and penned a contract extension until 2033 last season. But the Blues are ready to sell if any club makes a big offer.

Maresca said: “Nico is okay. He’s okay. When the transfer window is open, unfortunately or fortunately, anything can happen. This also involves Nico’s situation. At the moment we also had two strikers arrive, both of them in the USA, Joao (Pedro) and Liam (Delap). So we will see what happens.”

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But Chelsea could be forced into the market after England defender Levi Colwill suffered an undisclosed muscle injury in the club’s first training session back on Monday.

The Blues academy product made 47 appearances for club and country last season, including in the Europa Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup finals.

“We had a problem the last two days with Levi Colwill, that we don’t know how long he is going to be out,” said the Italian head coach. 

"So for us, we will see, hopefully not too long, but for sure it’s a problem for us. We need to wait, we don’t know yet.

“It was in the first session on Monday, just in the last minutes of the session. He felt something and, as I said, we need to wait and then we see.”

Asked if the injury means Chelsea will have to buy cover this summer, Maresca added: “It depends. We need to wait and then we see.

"But, as I said, we know each other from last year and, you know in our way, how important Levi has been. I spoke with him yesterday and I told him that if we achieve what we achieved last year, it is also because of him - and he was a main player for us.”

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