According to The Independent, Manchester United have opened talks with Chelsea over a potential swap deal to sign Nicolas Jackson this summer.
The Red Devils have already strengthened their attacking department with Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, and are now focused on landing a marquee centre-forward.
Jackson is one of the top names on their radar, but The Independent claim that a deal seems unlikely on the cards due to Chelsea’s huge demands for the Senegalese star.
United are open to including Garnacho in a swap deal for Jackson, but there is a huge difference in the price valuations.
Chelsea want at least £80 million to part ways with their striker, while they are reluctant to pay more than £30 million to sign Garnacho from the Mancunian giants.
Unlikely deal
Jackson has been a key player for the Blues over the past two seasons with 17 and 13 goals respectively. He has also chipped in with important assists, but his future is uncertain ahead of the new campaign.
The Blues have recently signed Liam Delap and Joao Pedro to bolster the centre-forward position and may look to part ways with Jackson in the coming weeks to secure funds for a late spending spree.
United have expressed an interest in signing him in exchange for Garnacho, but the Blues valuation could put a plug on any deal. The Red Devils are unlikely to sanction the sale of Garnacho for anywhere close to £30 million.
Unlike Jadon Sancho, Garnacho is only 21 years of age and has immense potential. He does not fit into the plans of manager Ruben Amorim, but still had a superb 2024/25 campaign with 21 goal contributions to his name.
United are likely to hold out for a higher sum to consider his departure. Meanwhile, United appear to have distanced themselves from Jackson already and are now prioritising the transfer of RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko.
The Slovenian ace is valued in the region of £69-78 million. United could be prepared to pay a premium fee for the 22-year-old, given his huge potential. He is a much better finisher than Jackson and could evolve into a world-class striker in years to come.
