Nicolás “Nico” Jackson, the 25-year-old Senegalese forward who currently wears the AstonVilla shirt, is preparing for his third visit to the Camp Nou next Tuesday. The English club's coach, UnaiEmery, has seen how the player has evolved since his debut with Villarreal B in 2021, going through a period at Bayern Munich before arriving in the PremierLeague. Spanish coach Miguel Álvarez, who gave Jackson his first opportunity at Villarreal, comments that the young man has significantly improved his finishing and technique, and that he now "understands the offensive game very well and, despite being tall, he is very fast."
Jackson began his career at CasaSports in Ziguinchor, Senegal, and was signed by Villarreal in 2019 for their youth team. In 2020, the forward moved to SecondA side Mirandés, where his performance was affected by injuries and a playing style that did not match his profile. “At Mirandés they used him more on the wing and in our 4-4-2 diamond formation we put him as the second striker,” recalls Álvarez. After a season of adaptation, Jackson returned to Villarreal B, where his performance improved significantly, becoming one of the most promising forwards in European football.
Villarreal's move to the first team in 2021 marked the beginning of a new stage for the forward. With 13 goals in the 2022-23 season, Jackson caught the attention of Chelsea, who signed him for 37 million in 2023. Experience in the Premier League and exposure in the UEFA ConferenceLeague, where he scored a goal in the 4-1 victory over Chelsea in 2025, allowed him to demonstrate his scoring ability. In 2024, the player was loaned to Bayern Munich for 16.5 million, where he played 30 games and scored 11 goals, before being transferred to AstonVilla for 55 million.
According to Álvarez, the key to Jackson's development has been the combination of physical and technical work. “He has had an incredible talent for four years, but he needed to enter a work culture like that of Villarreal's grassroots football and the first team with Unai and his assistant Rodri,” he comments. The coach highlights that the forward has improved his physical condition, his definition and his ability to read the game. “He has always had a goal, but in terms of finishing and technique he has improved,” he adds. Jackson has already scored eight goals in the current AstonVilla campaign, two of which were decisive against Manchester City.
With the visit to Barça scheduled for Tuesday, Jackson will have the opportunity to demonstrate his progress against one of the most demanding teams in Spain. The Villarreal coach, who continues to observe his evolution since Vilassar de Mar, hopes that the forward continues to grow and contribute more to AstonVilla in the next matches. Jackson's future looks bright, and his journey from Villarreal B to the PremierLeague shows that his development is still underway.