On Wednesday night, Nicolas Jackson has been preoccupied with figuring out how to make a lasting impression for his loan club Bayern Munich when they take on the visiting London side (Chelsea) away from home.
According to anonymous sources, ahead of the Champions League group stage opener at the Allianz Arena, Jackson sent messages to friends—revealing a clear determination to deliver a strong performance against Chelsea.
“He spoke in a way that made me sure he’ll score,” one of the friends said. “He might not start, but I can see him coming on and making the most of the spaces Chelsea leave open.”
Jackson’s situation is unusual: technically, he still belongs to Chelsea, yet he now has the chance to face Bayern. He joined Bayern on loan at the end of the transfer window earlier this month, with the deal running until the end of the season.
Some readers may wonder why Chelsea couldn’t use their influence to block him from playing in tonight’s game. Unlike the Premier League and FA Cup, however, UEFA—the governing body of European football—has no rules prohibiting loaned players from competing against their parent clubs. This has been the case ever since the old European Cup was rebranded as the Champions League in 1992.
Chelsea fans with good memories will certainly recall Thibaut Courtois: the young goalkeeper, on his third consecutive loan spell at Atlético Madrid, featured in both legs of the 2014 April Champions League semi-finals. He made crucial saves, most notably in the second leg at Stamford Bridge, helping Atlético secure a 3-1 aggregate victory.
That scenario was more complex, though: under the loan agreement between the two clubs, Atlético would have had to pay an additional fee to let Courtois face Chelsea. This cast doubt on his availability, and Atlético president Enrique Cerezo insisted the club couldn’t afford the sum.
UEFA, however, issued a pre-match statement clarifying that the agreement was “invalid and unenforceable. Fairness in sporting competition is a fundamental principle.”
When Chelsea and Bayern stepped up negotiations over Jackson’s move in late August, Chelsea was fully aware of these rules. They made no attempt—officially or privately—to demand that Jackson or his new club exclude him from the game. Jackson, too, knew UEFA’s regulations, so he saw no need to ask about his eligibility when his loan to Bayern was finally confirmed.
Jackson has quickly settled into life at Bayern and already sensed the potential impact of the transfer. The 24-year-old featured twice for Senegal during the recent international break before starting formal training with his new club. He told those close to him that being a Bayern player had elevated his status in his hometown to a new level—thanks to the warm welcome he’d received at the club.
Bayern director Uli Hoeneß later addressed the structure of the deal. He initially denied the possibility of a buyout clause being triggered, claiming Jackson would need to start 40 games for it to take effect (excluding the DFB-Pokal, as Bundesliga teams play only 34 league matches per season). After his comments about Jackson made headlines, Hoeneß tried to downplay the controversy.
Chelsea remained silent publicly but was privately satisfied with the structure of the agreed deal. Sources close to Jackson were also unfazed; they hold high hopes for him to join Bayern permanently, regardless of how many games he plays for the club between now and May. This could include renegotiating the final transfer fee, even if Chelsea may take time to agree.
In any case, Chelsea has made it clear they have no intention of bringing Jackson back. They have already finalized a deal to sign Emmanuel Emegha from Strasbourg in the summer of 2026, believing the 22-year-old forward shares similar traits to the Senegalese international—and has the potential to surpass him.
