Aston Villa's summer has been defined by an almost relentless outflow of talent, with Youri Tielemans, Morgan Rogers, Ezri Konsa and Lucas Digne all departing after back-to-back top-four finishes and a Europa League triumph under Unai Emery.
Ollie Watkins now looks set to follow them out of the door, with the striker attempting to force through a move to Saudi Arabia and having already been left out of Villa's squad for their opening-day 4-0 defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion.
That chastening result appears to have accelerated Villa's efforts to reinforce Emery's attack.
According to Foot Mercato, talks over a move for Jackson have advanced significantly, with Villa tabling an offer worth around €70million including bonuses for the Senegal international. Jackson, 26, returned to Chelsea this summer after Bayern Munich chose not to exercise the option included in his loan deal, and no longer features in the club's plans.
Atlético Madrid had attempted to take him on a fresh loan, but Chelsea made clear they would not sanction another temporary departure, pushing Jackson back into the market for a permanent sale.
Villa's proposal is understood to be closing in on Chelsea's asking price of around €75million, with an agreement between the two clubs now considered close. Emery's familiarity with the forward, from their time together at Villarreal, is thought to have been a significant factor in Villa's pursuit, with Jackson himself reportedly open to a reunion with his former coach.
The Jackson deal is not Villa's only move in attack. As reported by the English press in recent hours, Villa are also working in parallel on a deal for France international striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, though an opening offer of €22million was rejected by Crystal Palace. That knockback illustrates the scale of Villa's determination to strengthen their forward line, even as Emery's attacking options have so far been limited largely to World Cup breakout star Johan Manzambi and Alejandro Garnacho, on loan from Chelsea.
Villa host reigning champions Arsenal in their next Premier League fixture, and will discover their Champions League group-stage opponents in Thursday night's draw, adding further urgency to their efforts to overhaul the squad before the transfer window closes.