Aston Villa are expected to sign either Nicolas Jackson or Alejandro Garnacho, but not both, as Unai Emery reshapes his attack following the club’s record-breaking sale of Morgan Rogers to Chelsea.
Villa are preparing for a busy end to the transfer window after agreeing to sell Rogers to Chelsea in a deal worth £117 million, providing Emery with significant funds to strengthen his squad. While Johan Manzambi has already arrived and is viewed as Rogers’ long-term replacement, the Villa boss is still targeting more firepower in the final third.
According to reports, Villa have explored moves for both Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson and winger Alejandro Garnacho. However, the club is expected to prioritise only one of the two players as it balances spending across multiple positions.
Jackson is understood to be one of Emery’s preferred options. The Aston Villa manager worked with the Senegal international during their time together at Villarreal and has remained an admirer of the striker ever since. Villa also explored signing Jackson last summer before reviving their interest in recent months.
Chelsea are reportedly seeking around £60 million for the 25-year-old, who has returned to Stamford Bridge after a loan spell with Bayern Munich. His familiarity with Emery’s tactical approach is viewed as a major advantage should Villa decide to press ahead with a formal offer.
Garnacho remains another option under consideration, particularly as Villa look to replace Rogers’ pace and direct running from wide areas. The Argentine has been discussed during talks between the two clubs, although reports indicate Villa’s priority could instead be signing a natural winger such as Crysencio Summerville or Ibrahim Mbaye, alongside a move for Jackson.
Chelsea are believed to value Garnacho at around £45 million, while Roma are also interested in the winger. Villa’s strong working relationship with Chelsea following the Rogers deal could prove helpful if they decide to step up their pursuit.
With Emery keen to add both a centre-forward and a wide attacker before the transfer window closes, Villa must now decide where to invest their biggest resources.
As things stand, Jackson appears to have the edge thanks to Emery’s long-standing admiration for the striker and the need to reinforce Villa’s options through the middle following a summer of major squad changes.
