Aston Villa inquires about Zirkzee as Jackson deal falters

Aston Villa has inquired about the possibility of signing Joshua Zirkzee, the Manchester United striker, during the current summer transfer window, in case the deal for Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson falls through.

Aston Villa is moving to find a replacement for Ollie Watkins, who is close to a transfer to Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal, as negotiations between the two clubs continue.

According to "TEAMtalk", Al Hilal is preparing to submit a new offer after their first bid of £38 million was rejected, while Aston Villa is asking for £55 million, with the possibility of accepting an offer of £50 million.

Jackson is at the top of Aston Villa's priorities as the club seeks to sign him for £65 million, the fee requested by Chelsea. Manager Unai Emery is eager to work with the striker again, having previously coached him at Villarreal.

If the Jackson deal falls through, Zirkzee emerges as an alternative option, with Aston Villa having made contact to inquire about the terms of a potential transfer.

Fabrizio Romano has clarified that the contact has not turned into formal negotiations or an offer, emphasizing that Zirkzee is merely a name being considered internally by Aston Villa, while Jackson remains the club's top target.