Chelsea are reportedly ready to include one of their current strikers in any potential deal to bring Alexander Isak to Stamford Bridge from Newcastle United this summer.
The Blues have an interest in the Swedish striker, who finished third in the race for the 2023-24 Premier League Golden Boot.
Isak had a fruitful season where he scooped 21 goals in 30 Premier League games for Eddie Howe’s team.
Only Erling Haaland, who scored 27, and Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, netting 22, have bettered him so far in the league.
Since Isak is under contract until 2028 and Newcastle’s Financial Fair Play situation improves via other sales, the Magpies are not forced to sell the forward for the reduced fee.
Chelsea have been told it would take a transfer record signing if they are to land Isak, eclipsing the £115 million paid for Moises Caicedo last year.
The Blues, though are unwilling to move forward at that price, and are now weighing up other options.
According to The Sun, Chelsea is one of the teams considering throwing in current number nine Nicolas Jackson to make the deal more feasible.
Jackson joined Chelsea last summer in the space left by Kai Havertz’s transfer to Arsenal, hitting 17 goals and six assists in 44 appearances under Mauricio Pochettino in the 2023-24 season.
But during that period, Jackson was repeatedly criticised for his poor performances in the final third, meaning Chelsea will have to start looking to add a new striker to their first campaign under Enzo Maresca.
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While Chelsea considers Jackson to be key, they would be willing to let him go if it smoothed out Isak’s signature.
Jackson was signed for £31.4 million last summer and is under contract until June 2031, but could now be used as part of the proposed swap deal.
It is still not clear whether Newcastle will accept a deal with Jackson alongside in for Isak, but Chelsea looks certain to usher changes in their attack this summer.
Neither Romelu Lukaku nor Armando Broja returning from his loan spells at Roma and Fulham respectively are not seen as part of Chelsea’s future plans, not even with a new manager in charge.
Lukaku’s case will likely be resolved after his Euro 2024 duty with Belgium, although it does look like he is most likely to make a return to Italy.
Chelsea is reportedly so desperate for the sale of Lukaku that they are willing to swallow a heavy loss on their £97.5 million signing by letting him go for less than £35 million.
Chelsea has already gotten one big sale over the line with Omari Hutchinson sealing a club-record £22 million transfer to Ipswich Town.
A potential swap deal between Nicolas Jackson and Alexander Isak could be the vital deal to hit the Blues’ summer transfer strategy out of the park as Chelsea reshapes its squad.
The possibility of this becoming a done deal remains in the balance, but it does give the indication that Chelsea gives special attention to getting something out of the attack department heading into a new campaign.
