Aside from Morgan Rogers, who has not yet developed into the superstar he is destined to become, there’s a case to be made that Aston Villa‘s mass exodus needed to happen.
Ollie Watkins and Emi Martinez and Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne are all modern legends at Villa Park, but none of them are spring chickens anymore, all having reached the end of the road when leading Unai Emery‘s side to the Europa League title at the end of the 2025/26 season.
However, such an extensive rebuild requires the big-money signings to gel quickly, but the jury’s still out for Nicolas Jackson at No. 9.
How Nicolas Jackson can replace Watkins at Aston Villa
He’s undoubtedly a work in progress, but there’s no question that Jackson can reach his potential under Emery’s wing at Aston Villa.
Two seasons in the Premier League with Chelsea and a term as a bit-part star with Bayern Munich, supporting the Harry Kane show, have shown enough to convince fans that the Senegales striker has the potential to effectively replace Watkins.
It’s certainly been enough to convince Emery. Aston Villa signed Jackson for £65m this summer, and he has since started all four fixtures he has been available in the Premier League, scoring his first goal against Tottenham Hotspur before the international break. Moreover, the 25-year-old started and bagged as the Villa beat Club Brugge to get their Champions League campaign off to a flyer.
Tammy Abraham would argue that he has what it takes to dethrone his positional rival as Emery’s leading frontman, but the two strikers are similar in profile, and there’s a case to be made that the newer addition has far more in his locker.
|
Nicolas Jackson – Career Stats by Club |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Club |
Apps |
Goals + Assists |
|
Chelsea |
81 |
30 + 12 |
|
Villarreal |
48 |
13 + 6 |
|
Bayern Munich |
34 |
11 + 4 |
|
CD Mirandes |
17 |
1 + 1 |
|
Aston Villa |
6 |
2 + 0 |
However, we’re almost forgetting that Aston Villa have an even bigger attacking talent who could soon overtake the pair of them.
Aston Villa prospect is coming for Jackson
Jackson has scored 25 goals and supplied ten assists across 69 matches in the Premier League. A solid return. He is intelligent and quick and mobile, with a willingness to engage with teammates during build-up phases that evokes pime Watkins under the Villa Park lights.
That said, Brian Madjo might just have what it takes to leapfrog Abraham and Jackson, with the 17-year-old prodigy already being hailed as a “Haaland in the making” by esteemed Spanish reporter Guillem Balague. That might sound hyperbolic, but the 6 foot 5 powerhouse has the muscular physique of a much older man. More importantly, he wields his frame perfectly, brutalising defenders.
Madjo joined Aston Villa from Metz in France for around £10m last winter, but FIFA regulations meant he was unable to make the instantaneous switch. Nonetheless, Villa won their case over the summer, and they are already reaping the rewards.
Scoring against Paris Saint-Germain, back-to-back Champions League winners, on your Aston Villa debut is quite the thing. Madjo might not have been on the winning side, but his brutish, clinical and age-belying performance underscored his potential as an elite goalscorer.
Sadly, he has since been sidelined through injury, but Emery has confirmed that he will return to group training during the current international break, so Jackson and Abraham could soon be challenged for their places in the first-team mix.
Jackson and Abraham can hold down the fort for now, but there’s no question that Madjo could outstrip the pair of them. He is powerful and attentive and intuitive, and against PSG, he showed a dynamic edge to his game that almost beggars belief. How is someone so young and inexperienced already demonstrating the multi-facetedness of players such as Jackson?
Against the European champions, the former Metz wonderkid created two chances and missed three more himself. His errant finishing will need a bit of work, but on such a stage, at such a stage of his career, it’s surely forgiveable, and maybe portends riches to come.
One thing’s for certain: Madjo has already shown that Jackson should be keeping a close eye on his six. There may well be no bedding-in period necessary with this one. He’s the real deal.