Nicolas Jackson has decided that he wants to join Newcastle after several clubs became interested in his services.
The Chelsea striker has agreed with the club that he will leave this summer after two years with the Blues.
It comes after the arrivals of Liam Delap and Joao Pedro as attacking options while Jackson was left out of the squad to face Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan on Friday and Sunday respectively.
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Nicolas Jackson has decided he wants to join Newcastle
|PA
GB News were the first to report that Newcastle had stepped up their interest in Jackson this summer after missing out on several striker targets.
And it has since been reported that Jackson has now decided that his future lies on Tyneside, where he has been guaranteed a key role under Eddie Howe.
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The news will also be an indirect boost to Liverpool in their hopes to sign Alexander Isak, who is currently training away from the group at Newcastle.
Chelsea will not want to lose Jackson cheaply, though, and expect to at least double their money, having spent £32 million on the Senegal international in the summer of 2023 from Villarreal.
If their valuation is not met, Chelsea are more than happy to keep hold of Jackson and reintegrate him into the squad.
The 24-year-old has scored 30 goals in 80 appearances for the Blues, as well as delivering 12 assists, and would bolster Newcastle's attack.
The Magpies have suffered a difficult campaign in the transfer window, missing out on forwards including Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Mohammed Kudus, Delap, Pedro and Hugo Ekitike, though they are progressing in a deal for Brentford star Yoane Wissa.
It was GB News who first broke the news that Newcastle were ramping up their efforts to sign Jackson, moving ahead of Manchester United in the race for his signature.
As it happened, United were happy to simmer their interest in the Chelsea star as they planned on launching a bid for Benjamin Sesko, who has since signed from RB Leipzig.
It was widely reported that Sesko was a top target at Newcastle but GB News understands that privately they understood that the Slovenian preferred a move to Old Trafford, despite offering him more money.
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Nicolas Jackson has been heavily linked with a move away from Chelsea | PAShould Newcastle sign Jackson this summer, the striker will actually miss the first game of the season through suspension - after picking up a red card AGAINST the Magpies at the tail end of the last campaign.
The north-east outfit take on Aston Villa at Villa Park in their first match of the 2024/25 Premier League season on Saturday in the early kick-off.
However, with no bid yet to be submitted, the chances of Jackson being a Geordie by then are slim anyway.
Nevertheless, Newcastle will be keen to make an attacking signing as quickly as possible with Isak's situation looking increasingly desperate.
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Alexander Isak has been heavily rumoured with Liverpool over the past month | PAHaving turned down a nine-figure bid from Liverpool for the Sweden international, Isak made it abundantly clear to the club that he wants to move to Anfield.
Isak was left furious with the decision by Newcastle that he will not be sold for any amount and is currently training away from the group with manager Howe admitting that he sees no easy solution before the first match of the season.
Liverpool may yet test Newcastle's resolve once more before the transfer window ends, especially after Virgil van Dijk made a personal plea to the club.