Tottenham Targets Chelsea Striker Nicolas Jackson as Transfer Window Closes

Tottenham Hotspur have stepped back into the striker market, and this time the focus is on a familiar Premier League face: Nicolas Jackson.

French journalist Fabrice Hawkins reports that Spurs are one of three clubs “monitoring” the Senegal international, alongside Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid, as the final stretch of the transfer window begins to tighten. Jackson, currently at Chelsea, is being viewed as a potential option rather than a headline pursuit, but the interest is real.

A rumour that wouldn’t die – and now feels different

This isn’t the first time Jackson’s name has been linked with Tottenham this summer. A couple of weeks ago, the Mail claimed Spurs were “considering” a move for the 23‑year‑old, only for that story to be quickly shot down by several well‑connected English reporters, including Alasdair Gold.

This latest line has a different edge. Hawkins carries weight on French and francophone players, and his report suggests Jackson’s situation is at least being seriously tracked. The figure being floated is around £60m – a hefty sum, but still below the £70m Liverpool are said to be demanding for Cody Gakpo, who is three years older and not a natural No 9 in the same way Jackson is.

Plan B taking shape

Right now, this has all the hallmarks of a contingency move rather than a grand design.

Tottenham’s primary attacking priorities remain Savinho and Gakpo. But the dominoes elsewhere are complicating that picture. PSG are reported to be holding out for a very high fee from Liverpool for Bradley Barcola. If Liverpool can’t land Barcola, it becomes far harder to imagine them green‑lighting Gakpo’s exit.

That’s where Spurs’ strategy comes into focus. Rather than waiting to be left stranded late in the window, they are lining up alternatives. Jackson is one of those alternatives. The £60m mentioned by Hawkins is actually slightly lower than the £65m figure that appeared in the Mail ten days earlier, suggesting Chelsea’s stance might not be immovable.

Why Jackson makes sense – even for Spurs fans wincing at the badge

Yes, he plays for Chelsea. Yes, he has scored against Tottenham. None of that changes the profile.

Jackson is a true centre-forward. He underperforms his xG, which will put some off, but the key detail is where those chances come from: he consistently gets shots in the box. For a side that wants a front line constantly threatening the penalty area, that matters more than a single-season finishing wobble.

In the right system – and De Zerbi’s name has already been floated as a tactical fit in the original discussion – Jackson’s movement, aggression and ability to generate chances could quickly win over any sceptics. Goals have a short memory attached to them. The moment his first one goes in for a new club, the noise about his Chelsea past will fade.

For now, though, this sits in Tottenham’s back pocket. Savinho and Gakpo remain at the front of the queue. But if those deals hit a wall, and the market jolts again in the final days, Jackson may yet find himself at the centre of one of the window’s most intriguing late moves.