Chelsea have just a week to complete an ideal swap deal involving three players, which could rid the Blues of two wantaway stars in the process. The reigning Club World Cup champions have already spent £240million this summer, recouping a similar amount through sales, in what has been another busy window.
Carney Chukwuemeka is set to be the latest departure from the 'bomb squad' as the England youth international heads to Borussia Dortmund for £21m, with Aaron Anselmino also joining the Bundesliga side on loan. But several outcasts still remain.
Chelsea are hard at work to offload the likes of Nicolas Jackson, Raheem Sterling, Christopher Nkunku, Ben Chilwell, Azel Disasi and David Datro Fofana among others.
However, there are suitors for a select few, including Aston Villa, who have been long-term admirers of Jackson. Villa boss Unai Emery worked with the striker while they were together at Villarreal.
The Daily Mail claim that Villa, alongside their pursuit of £70m-rated Jackson, have made an enquiry for Nkunku.
The Frenchman has been told that he can leave Stamford Bridge this summer and Villa have been informed of the necessary conditions that would facilitate an exit.
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Emery's outfit have been hampered by the Premier League's Profit & Sustainability rules this summer, restricted to the signings of Evann Guessand, goalkeeper Marco Bizot and youngster Yasin Ozcan. They would almost certainly require a big sale in order to land targets Jackson and Nkunku.
Or, they could offer a player of equal value in exchange.
Chelsea are known admirers of Morgan Rogers, who could command a nine-figure transfer fee if he is to leave Villa Park. That figure is in the region of what Chelsea want for Jackson and Nkunku and a swap deal could benefit both parties.
Villa would boast more firepower, albeit they would be reluctant to lose such a star player this late in the window, but Chelsea could, in turn, land an exciting forward option to pair with Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro and Estevao moving forward.
Chelsea have already made a U-turn on Jackson this summer, with Maresca earlier claiming that their transfer plan was to pair him with additions, but Pedro and Liam Delap's signings appear to be pushing him out of Stamford Bridge.
"For sure, with us, in my personal opinion, he has grown and improved a lot," Enzo Maresca said of Jackson at the end of last season. "Now, if another number nine was here is it better for him? I don't know."
When pressed about plans to increase competition in attack to complement the Senegalese forward, Maresca replied: "100 per cent."
But instead, just a few weeks later, Jackson looks likely to depart and Villa are lurking.
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