Chelsea received £14.2million in loan fees from Bayern Munich for Nicolas Jackson, but the Blues could miss out on a further £56.2million if a clause in that deal isn't activated.
Chelsea are on the brink of losing out on a hefty sum as part of the deal that saw Nicolas Jackson complete his move to Bayern Munich. Jackson waved farewell to the Blues towards the end of the summer transfer window, joining Bayern on a loan deal with an obligation to buy ahead of next season.
As part of the arrangement, Chelsea pocketed a staggering £14.2million loan fee from the Bundesliga giants after the move was on the verge of falling through before it was finally sealed on deadline day. The obligation to buy clause, if activated, would see Bayern pay an additional £56.2million to Chelsea to secure Jackson on a permanent deal next summer.
However, with less than half of the season been and gone and the January transfer window looming, this specific clause is at risk of becoming unachievable. Bayern's honorary president Uli Hoeness stated that Jackson must play at least 40 games for Bayern, although it's unclear whether this refers to appearances or starts.
So far, Jackson has only started five matches for Bayern during his loan stint, ultimately suggesting he may need another 35 to activate the obligation to buy clause.
In terms of total appearances, Jackson has played 14 times for Bayern this season, indicating that 26 more games for the reigning Bundesliga champions could be enough to activate the clause.
A recent report in The Sun claimed that Jackson is enjoying his time at Bayern, despite reports that the Bundesliga club may not sign the striker on a permanent deal. It still remains to be seen what Bayern's plans will be for the summer when it comes to Jackson, especially if there is no longer an obligation for them to sign the Chelsea striker on a permanent basis.
Bayern have just 23 Bundesliga matches left to play this season, and Jackson could be set to miss a chunk of the campaign, owing to international duty. The Champions League also looms large on the horizon, with three league phases and potentially nine more from the play-off round to the final still to come.
The Africa Cup of Nations is on the horizon, where Jackson is expected to represent Senegal in the tournament. Senegal's first group stage match against Botswana is scheduled for December 23, with their final group game on December 30.
Depending on how far Senegal progress in the tournament, Jackson could be absent for a significant amount of time. This could cause a clash with Bayern's Bundesliga fixture on December 21, just two days before Senegal's AFCON opener, leaving it uncertain whether Jackson will be available or already preparing with his national team.
The Bundesliga returns from its winter break on January 11 - but Jackson could still be involved in AFCON - which runs until the final on January 18.
With Jackson also potentially needing 40 starts to trigger Bayern's obligation-to-buy clause, his potential absence during AFCON could make this target increasingly unlikely given the limited number of games remaining.
Moreover, Jackson finds himself mostly as a back-up to England captain Harry Kane at the Allianz Arena, making it even tougher for him to secure a spot in the club's starting line-up.