Paul Merson has revealed he is “flabbergasted” over Newcastle’s snub of Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson, after they confirmed the signing of Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart.
The Tyneside club have had a chaotic transfer window, with the future of Alexander Isak plaguing the club for weeks.
Eddie Howe's side have been forced to play without their talisman, who has remained on strike for the opening three league games of the season in which Newcastle failed to win a game.
The club remained adamant they were to keep the forward, particularly when he released a bombshell statement demanding a move.
Alexander Isak is set to complete a British record £125million move to champions Liverpool after a summer-long transfer saga
| PAHowever, Liverpool finally agreed a deal with Newcastle on transfer deadline day, estimated to be worth a British-record £125million, with the Swede at the Reds' training ground to complete a medical.
To replace the departing superstar, Howe's side have completed the £69million signing of 6ft 6in striker Nick Woltemade from German club Stuttgart and look set to finalise a £55million deal for Brentford's Yoanne Wissa later today.
With Chelsea bringing in strikers Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, the Blues made Senegalese striker Jackson available to depart the club, but Newcastle remained uninterested.
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Willkommen, Woltemade 🖤🤍 pic.twitter.com/FsEpSMDGP8
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) August 30, 2025
Aston Villa were another club linked with the striker and have been busy on deadline day, but chose against a move for Jackson.
Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho and England under-21 star Harvey Elliott are both set to sign for the Midlands club instead.
Star striker Ollie Watkins has remained at Villa Park, although he has failed to register a goal this season, and Unai Emery has focused on strengthening their creative options rather than goalscoring.
Despite this, the club failed to score in all three of their opening Premier League games.
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Jackson, who has scored 30 goals in 81 games at Stamford Bridge since his move from Villarreal two years ago, now looks set to complete a move to German champions Bayern Munich instead.
Arsenal icon Merson has been left "flabbergasted" by both club's snub of the Premier League-proven striker, believing that they have missed a trick with the 24-year-old readily available and actively looking to leave.
“I am amazed no one has come in for Nicolas Jackson. How Newcastle haven’t gone after him, I do not know," Merson said on Sky Sports.
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Nicolas Jackson scored 10 goals in 30 Premier League games last year for Chelsea
|GETTY
"Instead, they’ve gone and brought in that player [Nick Woltemade]. I don’t know what’s going to happen, I’ve never seen him play.
"Nicolas Jackson is a handful. For me, he made Palmer as good as Palmer made him. Aston Villa don’t look like scoring a goal for toffee - there are deals to be done. I am flabbergasted this lad hasn’t gone anywhere."
Aston Villa made late moves for Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott instead of Nicolas Jackson
|GETTY
Jackson is instead moving to Munich in a loan deal with a view to be permanent worth £70m, but the deal was not simple.
An initial deal was agreed between the two clubs earlier in the week, with Jackson travelling to Munich for a medical.
However, Chelsea cancelled the deal when new signing Delap suffered a muscle injury against Fulham at the weekend, leaving Enzo Maresca's side short up top.
With the German side informing Jackson the deal was off, the Senegalese's agent then released a defiant statement, claiming the withdrawn offer was "deeply frustrating" but that they will "not give up". The striker then refused to return to London, remaining in Munich instead.
The firm stance appears to have worked, with the two clubs coming to an agreement today.
"If this was a few years back, they’d have told him, ‘Come home,’ and he’d have said, ‘I’m coming.’ Now they say, ‘I’m not coming back,’ and that’s just the way it is," Merson continued.
"I’m shocked he hasn’t gone anywhere else. Bayern Munich is a great club, but everyone wants to play in the Premier League."