Nicolas Jackson opens up on transfer turmoil after his move almost COLLAPSE

Nicolas Jackson has admitted the drama that almost saw his move to Bayern Munich collapse was 'difficult' to come to terms with after the Chelsea outcast was unveiled by the German club on Friday.

Jackson, 24, has joined the Bundesliga giants on loan after falling down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge, with Enzo Maresca bolstering his forward options with the signings of Joao Pedro and Liam Delap.

The Blues had sanctioned Jackson's move to Munich in the final week of the summer window, but injuries to Delap and Cole Palmer saw them initially pull the plug on Jackson's deal, ordering him to return to London.

Following further negotiations, a deal sealing the 24-year-old's exit was eventually agreed, with Bayern forking out around £14million to bring him to the Allianz Arena for the season.

'It was tough, a tough time,' he said. 'Difficult moments in those last days.

'But I was very confident I will stay here because this is where I want to play and want to be.

'It was very tough but in the end we got it, so I'm very glad.'

Despite enduring a difficult 2024-25 campaign, some have criticised Chelsea's decision to allow the striker to leave the club this season.

Arsenal legend Paul Merson, who is a Chelsea fan, expressed his opposition to the transfer.

'The Nicolas Jackson situation at Chelsea was very interesting,' the former Arsenal midfielder told Sportskeeda.

'He was on his way to Bayern Munich and all of a sudden, Liam Delap gets injured. They initially wanted to cancel Jackson’s loan but later decided to let him join Bayern, possibly with one eye on balancing the books as well.

'If I were Chelsea, I would have kept him. I don’t think he’s a bad player. I’m surprised Newcastle didn't sign Jackson though.

‘He fits the bill more than Nick Woltemade in the sense that he can be direct and make good runs like Alexander Isak.’

Indeed, as Jackson left the Premier League for the Bundesliga, Woltemade went the other way as he completed a move to Newcastle United from Stuttgart.

The Magpies had been linked with a move for Jackson after missing out on Benjamin Sesko but ultimately decided to target the young German.

He moves to Tyneside having scored 12 goals for Stuttgart in the German top-flight last season and could make his debut as Eddie Howe's side host Wolves on Saturday.

Meanwhile, of course without Jackson, Chelsea travel to Brentford to face Keith Andrews' side in a west London derby.

Maresca's team head into the game on the back of two victories against Fulham and West Ham United, but Merson believes they may struggle to keep up their good form on Saturday night.

He said: 'Chelsea weren’t great against Fulham, but they still won so it’s still a positive result.

'They will have to be patient away from home against Brentford this weekend. But the longer this game goes on without a goal, I would be worried.

'Brentford will sit back and I don’t think Chelsea will be able to create a lot of chances here.

‘Brentford away is never an easy place to go to and I expect Chelsea to be up against it. I still think they can hold on to a nervy 1-0 lead though.’

Chelsea sit second in the Premier League table after their opening three games, behind only Arne Slot's Liverpool.