Nicolas Jackson was apparently set for medicals to become a new Bayern Munich player on loan with an option to buy. However, according to reports from David Ornstein, Chelsea have withdrawn their approval for Jackson to join Bayern.
Despite the Senegal international landing in Munich, the Blues chose to cancel what might have been a fresh start away from the pressures of Chelsea, where he had been relegated to third-choice striker following the signings of Liam Delap and João Pedro.
So why did Chelsea cancel Jackson’s move? Well, during Chelsea’s Premier League match, Delap left the pitch injured. This left Chelsea with only one fit striker in João Pedro. Now, Jackson—who had been pushed to third-choice and shopped around following the arrival of the new strikers—is suddenly being asked to return as a replacement. Delap is set to be out for about 4–6 weeks, 8 weeks maximum. But what happens when Delap recovers? Jackson will likely be relegated back to the bench.
It’s crazy that clubs treat players like they’re not human beings, calling them at their beck and call simply because they are under contract. Players are not adequately protected by football bodies. To make matters worse, some fans justify this mistreatment by bringing up the money these players earn, as if a high salary means they should be treated like trash. People forget the sacrifices these players make—the strict diets, the pressure, and even giving up their social lives just to play football. So because someone earns €100,000 per week, does that mean he should be disrespected?
When Delap recovers, will Jackson once again be discarded? His agent, Ali Burat, has already confirmed that Jackson has no intention of coming back, but we all know that if Chelsea refuse to approve his transfer, he’ll be forced to play for a club that will throw him aside as soon as their next “shining toy” arrives.
I have always said that players deserve to be treated better: from Osimhen to Lookman, to Isak, to Sterling, to Højlund. When clubs don’t need them, they isolate them, but when they do, players are forced to fall in line.
Players should start protecting themselves. They should negotiate affordable release clauses in their contracts and avoid long-term deals with so-called “selling clubs” that will simply trade them to the highest bidder. At the end of the day, players are human beings—just likee the fans.