Unai Emery revealed an emotional farewell to Ollie Watkins this week, admitting he cried during their parting conversation as the striker prepares to complete a £50m move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal. The Aston Villa manager is now turning his attention to integrating Nicolas Jackson, who is closing in on a switch from Chelsea worth an initial £47.5m that could rise to a club-record £65m with add-ons.
Emery is optimistic that Jackson could be available to make his Villa debut when the club hosts reigning Premier League champions Arsenal on Monday night. The Spanish coach described the striker's impending arrival as the beginning of a fresh era for the club following Watkins' exit.
The departure comes just days after Watkins refused to play in Villa's opening-weekend 4-0 loss at Brighton, a decision that left the team without an available frontline striker and visibly frustrated Emery at the time. According to Emery, the England international later approached him and his teammates to apologize for the incident.
"I can tell you his commitment and his behaviour was fantastic always," Emery said. "He told us after the match he was sorry and he told us that he made a mistake, that he was wrong. We accepted it, the players as well, because he always had very good behaviour and commitment with the club, with us and with me."
Emery went on to praise Watkins beyond his footballing contributions, calling him "a fantastic guy, an even more fantastic guy than a player," before confirming an emotional send-off. "I told him bye with a huge hug and a small tear but now it's a new chapter here with Nicolas Jackson," he added. "A new chapter, we replace him and of course all the best to Watkins in Saudi. With Nicolas Jackson replacing him, we are of course happy."
Watkins leaves Villa as the club's record Premier League-era goalscorer, having netted 91 times in 221 league appearances. Emery insisted that the circumstances surrounding his exit would not diminish his standing with supporters, describing his four years of service as a strong professional partnership. "One mistake is not closing all the good things he did here," Emery said. "He is class, and I think it's a legacy here."
Watkins is just one of several key departures Villa have absorbed since lifting the Europa League last season. Emery has also lost Morgan Rogers, Emiliano Martínez, Ezri Konsa, Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne, with Martínez close to a £7.5m move to Chelsea and set to be replaced by Zion Suzuki, whose £30m arrival from Parma could also see him debut against Arsenal. Bayern Munich's Leon Goretzka, signed on Thursday, is another potential newcomer for the clash with the champions.
Despite the significant squad turnover, Emery struck a confident tone about Villa's prospects this season. "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. It's not changing our priorities to be competitive."
He acknowledged, however, that his side would need time to adjust following last weekend's heavy defeat to Brighton. "We will need time," Emery said. "Last year we showed we needed time. On Monday we will see whether we will need more time or if some players are progressing quickly."
Meanwhile, Chelsea's transfer business remains active as they await developments on Enzo Fernández, who is keen to leave before Tuesday's deadline amid interest from Manchester City. The Blues have also been exploring options including Monaco's Lamine Camara, though sources suggest Bournemouth and Crystal Palace are reluctant to part with Alex Scott and Adam Wharton respectively, while Arsenal have rejected an enquiry for Martín Zubimendi.
Based on reporting from Guardian Football and Independent Football.