Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson extends contract until 2033

Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson has penned a two-year contract extension that will keep him at Stamford Bridge until 2033, the Premier League side announced on Friday.

The 23-year-old joined Chelsea from Villarreal in June 2023 on an eight-year deal and went on to score 17 goals in all competitions last season. He has begun this campaign with two goals in four appearances.

"I am feeling very good and am very happy to sign a new contract and stay at the club," Jackson said in a statement.

"It feels great the club has confidence in me. I am working very hard. I am very happy to extend my contract and stay here for many years."

The extension sees Chelsea continue the trend of offering their young players lengthy contracts. Last month, Cole Palmer signed a two-year extension to keep him at the club until 2033.

In a summer that's seen 11 new arrivals at the club, Jackson has emerged as a mainstay under new manager Enzo Maresca and has started each of their three Premier League games this season.

"Very happy, first of all because he is doing very well," Maresca said at a news conference on Friday when asked about Jackson's contract extension.

"He is working well on and off the ball. He is the kind of player that is always going to score goals. With us in the first three Premier League games, he has scored goals. Very happy with Nico."

Change appears to be brewing off the field too at Stamford Bridge, with a report in Bloomberg claiming that Chelsea's majority shareholders are involved in a power struggle and are exploring options to buy each other out.

Maresca however, opted to sidestep questions about the ownership row and said his players aren't distracted by it.

"The players are professional enough to understand there are things we cannot control. The main focus, for me, is exactly the main focus of the players; to improve things. This is the main target for them, for me, for all of us," he said.