Bayern director Uli Hoeness stoked the flames earlier this month when he cast doubt on whether the permanent option would ever be activated. According to him, the obligation only kicks in if Jackson starts 40 matches, excluding appearances in the DFB Pokal. The twist? الدوري الألماني sides only play 34 league games a season, and the forward also has دوري أبطال أوروبا fixtures to play in. A tough target to achieve, if not impossible. Hoeness later tried to water down his words, but the damage had been done.
The Blues themselves have kept their lips sealed in public. Privately, though, the word is that تشيلسي are more than comfortable with the agreement. If Bayern meet the conditions, the club cashes in massively. If they don’t, they still bank a hefty loan fee while reassessing next summer. Either way, Chelsea believe they’ve played the numbers game shrewdly.
If Bayern’s hierarchy are playing the long game, Jackson’s camp is playing a very different one. His agent, former السنغال international Diomansy Kamara, has been crystal clear about his client’s ambitions: Jackson does not want a Chelsea reunion.
Speaking on French TV’s Canal+ Sport, Kamara said: “Today at Chelsea, the relationship with (Enzo) Maresca isn’t necessarily the best. It’s a war of egos between the two clubs. He (Hoeness) even rowed back on his comments. It’s true that there is a saga around the transfer. There was talk around how many matches Nico would have to play for an obligatory option.
“Nico’s objective isn’t to play 40 matches. If he scores 15 goals by December, they’re not going to say, ‘Play 40 matches’. He doesn’t see himself returning to Chelsea (…) Let him have a good season, and in the end, we’ll see what’s best for him. But it’s true that Bayern is a priority for a very long time .”
For Jackson, the pathway is already mapped out. He sees Bayern as his stage for years to come, regardless of what the paperwork says. Chelsea may technically retain an open door, but the player himself has slammed it shut. And after facing Chelsea midweek in the Champions League, his attention shifts to Saturday’s Bundesliga clash with Hoffenheim.
