Chelsea fans woke up to yet another twist in the club’s rollercoaster transfer saga. A deal that was virtually sealed — Nicolas Jackson’s loan move to Bayern Munich — was sensationally scrapped at the very last minute, all because of a nightmare injury to new striker Liam Delap.
The Transfer That Almost Happened
Talks between Bayern Munich and Chelsea had been ongoing for the past two weeks. The Bundesliga giants were desperate to reinforce their attack after losing two key forwards to injury, and Jackson looked set to be the solution.
The agreement had advanced so far that Jackson’s representatives were preparing for his trip to Munich for a medical. The plan was simple: Bayern would get their striker, and Chelsea would allow Jackson to gain regular minutes abroad while Enzo Maresca rotated his new arrivals up front.
But then disaster struck.
Delap’s Nightmare Injury Turns Plans Upside Down
Liam Delap, Chelsea’s summer signing tipped to become Maresca’s “super-sub” this season, suffered what medical staff described as a “significant lower limb injury” during training on Tuesday.
Initial assessments suggest he could be sidelined for months, though the club has not yet provided a full recovery timeline. His absence immediately left Chelsea short of options, slashing their senior striker pool from three to just one.
Maresca Steps In
With a packed autumn schedule ahead, manager Enzo Maresca reportedly intervened personally to halt the deal. At the last possible moment, he asked the board to freeze Jackson’s departure, fearing he could not risk starting the campaign with no strikers available.
A club insider explained:
“It’s not ideal to block a deal this late, but circumstances forced the manager’s hand. He cannot start the season with no strikers.”
Bayern Left Waiting
Bayern Munich, who had already prepared their announcement and promotional content, were left frustrated but understanding. Sources in Germany say the club will continue monitoring Jackson’s situation and may revisit the deal in January if Delap’s recovery stays on track.
For now, Chelsea’s striker drama rumbles on — and Nicolas Jackson remains a Blue, whether he likes it or not.
