Chelsea Block Jackson’s Loan Move to Bayern After Delap Injury

Chelsea have abruptly halted Nicolas Jackson’s proposed switch to Bayern Munich, ordering the striker to return to London after he travelled to Germany to undergo a medical, Sport360NG reports.

The 24-year-old had been on the verge of completing a £13m loan move, but sources told BBC Sport that Jackson was furious when the deal was suddenly scrapped. Efforts are expected to continue behind the scenes to see if the transfer can still be revived.

The change of plan followed Liam Delap’s hamstring injury in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Fulham, with head coach Enzo Maresca admitting the forward could be sidelined for up to eight weeks.

The setback capped a turbulent 24 hours in which Chelsea’s forward line was stripped bare. Christopher Nkunku completed a permanent £36m move to AC Milan, Jackson departed for Munich to finalise his loan, and Delap was forced off in the first half at Stamford Bridge. That sequence of events left João Pedro, scorer of five goals in his first five starts, as the only senior striker available.

Asked post-match whether Jackson’s move could collapse, Maresca said:
“I just finished the game, came here and have no idea. We’re going to sit down now and we’ll see. When you have two strikers, it’s enough. When one of them is out for weeks, probably it’s not enough.”

Jackson’s agent, ex-Fulham forward Diomansy Kamara, had suggested on social media that the deal was still on, writing: “The plane doesn’t go backwards… Munich.” But unless negotiations change, Jackson is set to remain with Chelsea when they face Bayern in the Champions League on 17 September.

Bayern’s sporting director Max Eberl confirmed the breakdown, telling Sky Germany:
“Chelsea informed us they want the player back after we reached an agreement yesterday and had permission to conduct a medical. Now the situation is that the boy is in Munich and we have to send him back.”

Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock sympathised with Jackson’s frustration, telling BBC’s Final Score:
“I can understand Chelsea’s decision, but for the player it’s not ideal. You’re already in Munich, buzzing for a fresh start, then you’re told to go back. But this is a chance for him to prove himself at Chelsea and maybe even lead them to silverware.”

The club’s striker shortage was evident against Fulham, with 19-year-old academy winger Tyrique George filling in up front after Delap’s withdrawal. Maresca praised the youngster’s performance:
“Today we played more than one hour with Tyrique, and he did brilliant.”

Ironically, Pedro was also playing out of position, deputising for Cole Palmer in the No.10 role, leaving Maresca with limited attacking options from the bench.

Chelsea’s decision not to carry three recognised strikers stemmed from Jackson’s reluctance to act as a backup and Nkunku’s desire to leave after growing unhappy in recent months. The club had been prepared to rely on Pedro Neto, Palmer, and academy talents like George or 17-year-old Shim Mheuka, the U21 league’s top scorer.

Meanwhile, Chelsea are finalising a £40m deal for Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United and are close to signing Brighton’s Facundo Buonanotte. The arrivals of both Argentina internationals would give Maresca eight attacking players competing for four positions.

Still, Delap’s injury has forced the club to reconsider its stance and pull Jackson back from the brink of a Bayern move, at least for now.