CHELSEA striker Nicolas Jackson has remained in Germany attempting to revive his collapsed loan move to Bayern Munich after the deal was cancelled at the final moment.
Jackson travelled to Munich on Saturday to finalise his season-long transfer to the Bundesliga champions before being informed the move had been cancelled because of Chelsea’s injury issues.
Blues striker Liam Delap faces up to eight weeks out with a hamstring problem sustained during Saturday’s victory over Fulham while England forward Cole Palmer is also unavailable with a groin injury.
With Christopher Nkunku having joined AC Milan this week, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca would have only Joao Pedro as his fit senior striker if Jackson departed.
Bayern sporting director Max Eberl confirmed the deal’s cancellation following their three-two win at Augsburg on Saturday.
“Chelsea informed us that they would like the player back after we agreed yesterday,“ he said.
“The situation now is that the lad is here in Munich, but we are sending him back.”
Jackson expressed anger at Chelsea’s late reversal and decided against leaving Germany on Sunday while his representatives work to resolve the disagreement.
Jackson’s agent Diomansy Kamara insisted on social media that his client would not return to Chelsea.
“We’re not going back. The plane doesn’t go backwards: Munich,“ he said.
Kamara told German newspaper Bild from a Munich hotel on Sunday that they remained hopeful about completing the transfer.
“If we didn’t have hope, we wouldn’t still be here anymore!”
Chelsea are reportedly considering a move for Sporting Lisbon’s Conrad Harder before Monday’s transfer deadline, potentially enabling Jackson’s move to Bayern.
Chelsea apparently prefer selling Jackson permanently rather than resurrecting the loan arrangement.
The previously agreed deal would have seen the Senegal striker move for an initial thirteen million pound loan fee with a fifty-two million pound permanent option.
Jackson has not featured for Chelsea this season after being informed he was not in Maresca’s plans following the signings of Delap from Ipswich and Joao Pedro from Brighton.
The twenty-four year old has experienced a turbulent two years at Chelsea since joining from Villarreal, with criticism of his inconsistent finishing overshadowing his spell in west London. – AFP