Chelsea Block Nicolas Jackson’s Bayern Move After Liam Delap Injury — Striker Furious at U-Turn

Chelsea’s summer transfer plans have been thrown into chaos after the club pulled the plug on Nicolas Jackson’s loan move to Bayern Munich following Liam Delap’s shocking hamstring injury in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Fulham. The dramatic decision has left the 22-year-old striker frustrated and forced him to return to London — much to his dismay.

Jackson had been all set to finalize a season-long loan to the Bundesliga giants. He had even landed in Munich on Saturday afternoon to undergo a medical, accompanied by his agents. Reports from Standard Sport reveal that the decision to cancel the move was made while Jackson was en route to Germany on a private jet, leaving him blindsided.

Chelsea had previously given Jackson permission to travel, with the loan deal reportedly worth €15million (£12.9m) for the season and including an option for a permanent €65million (£56.2m) transfer next summer, along with a sell-on clause. Everything seemed on track — until Delap’s unfortunate injury.

The young English striker pulled up in the 15th minute at Stamford Bridge and was immediately substituted. Maresca confirmed that Delap’s hamstring injury could sideline him for “six to eight weeks,” forcing the club to rethink their striker situation. With Christopher Nkunku also heading to AC Milan on a permanent deal, Chelsea were suddenly left with just Joao Pedro as their only fully fit senior striker.

In the post-match press conference, Maresca spoke candidly about the situation:

“Liam’s injury doesn’t look good in terms of, he was full speed, hamstring, so that requires, like always, weeks. And then in terms of another striker, to be honest, we just finished the game from the changing room and came here for the press conference. So now after, when we finish, we’re going to sit and we’ll see if we take any decision. That’s all.”

Jackson, meanwhile, reportedly does not have many options after being told the move to Bayern will no longer proceed. The U-turn is expected to ignite frustration among fans and the player alike, especially as the summer transfer deadline approaches. Chelsea appear to believe the safest course of action is to bring Jackson back rather than rush into a last-minute signing to replace Delap.

The decision highlights the delicate balancing act clubs must perform during the transfer window, where injuries, squad depth, and financial considerations collide. For Jackson, it’s a frustrating twist in a summer that promised a fresh start at one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

With Delap set for further scans and a potential two-month absence looming, Chelsea will now need to carefully manage their striking options, hoping Joao Pedro can shoulder the burden while also keeping an eye on emergency solutions before Monday night’s transfer deadline.

This latest twist in Chelsea’s striker saga shows how quickly fortunes can change in football, and how one injury can alter the plans of multiple clubs — and players — in a heartbeat.