Why Aston Villa was the perfect destination for Jackson

Jackson has scored seven in nine appearances since joining Villa from Chelsea, converting chances at 60% compared to 29% at Stamford Bridge.

Nicolas Jackson's move to Aston Villa has proven mutually beneficial after a difficult spell at Chelsea. The 25-year-old striker has made an impressive start, scoring seven goals in nine appearances across all competitions, including a double against Manchester City.

Jackson's conversion rate has dramatically improved under Unai Emery, converting three of five big chances (60%) compared to just 18 of 61 (29%) during his two seasons at Chelsea. In the Premier League alone, he has scored four goals from an expected goals value of just 1.98, overperforming only behind Erling Haaland.

The connection between Jackson and Emery dates back to their time at Villarreal. Jackson credits the manager with transforming his game, teaching him positioning and movement rather than relying on raw athleticism. At Villa, he benefits from being the focal point of the attack with quality support from players like John McGinn and Emi Buendia, allowing him to roam across positions. He currently leads centre forwards in the league for dribbles completed (2.5) and runs ahead of the ball per game (7.7).