Aston Villa manager Unai Emery revealed an emotional farewell to striker Ollie Watkins, who is set to join Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal in a £50m deal. Emery admitted he cried during a conversation with Watkins, who apologized for missing the team’s recent match. Villa has signed Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea as Watkins’ replacement.
Emery stated, “I can tell you now Watkins' commitment and behaviour was fantastic always.” He explained that Watkins approached the team after their 4-0 defeat to Brighton and admitted his mistake. “Last week, we didn't get a deal to finish playing the match against Brighton but he told us after the match that he was sorry and he told us he made a mistake and was wrong. We accepted it and the players did as well because he always had very good behaviour with me.” Emery described Watkins as a “fantastic guy, even more so than as a player.”
Aston Villa has now lost six players from their Europa League final starting lineup, including Watkins, Morgan Rogers, Emiliano Martinez, Ezri Konsa, Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne. Despite the departures, Emery remains optimistic about the team’s prospects. “We took some decisions because it's good for the club,” he said. “We don't want to be a club to sell players, but our responsibility is there. For the club it's a good deal.”
Nicolas Jackson could be available for Aston Villa’s upcoming match against Arsenal. Emery emphasized the need to balance experience with potential in new signings, stating, “We need to get balance with experience and players with huge potential.” He added, “I told him 'bye' with a huge hug and a small cry. But all the best with him in Saudi and with Nicolas Jackson replacing him.”
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