Aston Villa manager Unai Emery speaks about tearful farewell to Ollie Watkins
Tears were shed at Aston Villa this week as the changes keep coming.
I was at Unai Emery’s pre-Arsenal press conference which was dominated by the transfer window that has left his Europa League winning team unrecognisable.
He confirmed today striker Ollie Watkins and goalkeeper Emi Martinez are being sold. That will mean just five of the 11 who started the match in Istanbul remain at the club.
Watkins is the club’s leading scorer in the Premier League era and Emery was quick to defend the striker who he was so clearly annoyed with last weekend for not playing at Brighton.
He said: “I can tell you now, his commitment and behaviour was fantastic always. Last week we didn’t get a deal to finish the last match playing in Brighton but after the match he was sorry and he told us he made a mistake, he was wrong but we accepted it, the players as well because he always had good behaviour.
“For me he is a fantastic guy, a more fantastic guy than even as a player and I told him bye with a huge hug and a small cry. But now is a new chapter here with Nicolas Jackson. We are of course happy.”
Yes, he also confirmed there that they’re signing his replacement Jackson from Chelsea.
It is rare for so much news to come out of one of these press conferences but few clubs have had so much happening in such a short period.
The change is a mix of bettering their position within football’s financial rules, contract clauses being triggered and player power. They didn’t want to sell Watkins but they could never compete with the money being offered in Saudi Arabia.
The next test is against the champions at Villa Park – even the stadium looks different with just three stands being used this season as one is developed.
Emery’s task is to unite a squad with nine new signings – expectations must be managed but his record at Villa tells you never to right them off.
The striker is leaving the club after six years.
Unai Emery has opened up on his tearful farewell with Ollie Watkins after saluting the striker’s “fantastic” service to Villa.
Watkins is on the verge of joining Al-Hilal for a fee of more than £50million, bringing an end to a hugely successful six-year stay at Villa Park.
The 30-year-old, who leaves as the club’s all-time Premier League top scorer, provoked the wrath of supporters when he declined to play in last Sunday’s season opener at Brighton, as he looked to push through the move.
Emery, who was left without a striker for the 4-0 defeat, admitted to being left “disappointed” with that decision but believes Watkins – who later apologised to the manager and team-mates – should not see his legacy tarnished for one mistake.
He said: “I can tell you now Watkins, his commitment and his behaviour was fantastic.
“We didn’t get a deal to finish his last match playing at Brighton, but he told us after the match he was sorry, and he told us as well he made a mistake.
“He was wrong, but we accepted it. The players as well because he always had very good behaviour and commitment with the club, with us, and with me.
“And for me, it’s a fantastic guy, a fantastic guy even more than a player. And I told him bye with a huge hug and with small tears.”
Watkins, who joined Villa from Brentford for £33m, scored 108 goals in total across his six seasons at the club, becoming the first player to reach a century since Peter McParland in the 1960s.
While Emery had wanted him to stay, he believes the deal and “crazy” fee was ultimately too good for the club to turn down.
Nicolas Jackson has been signed from Chelsea as Watkins’ direct replacement for an initial £47.5m, while the club are also pushing to complete a deal for Paris Saint-Germain winger Ibrahim Mbaye.
Jackson could make his debut in Monday’s Premier League clash with Arsenal.
Emery said: “Now it’s a new chapter here with Nicolas Jackson.
“Watkins had fantastic years scoring goals, behaviour, commitment, always ready to play, even being injured.
“The four years working with him have been a high-level relationship with him as a professional.
“Last week I was a little bit disappointed. I was disappointed, but we spoke about it, and now we are clear.
“He is a fantastic player and guy and one mistake is not closing all the good things he did here. For the supporters as well. He is class, and I think it’s a legacy here.”
The boss continued: “We don’t want to be a club to sell players but the responsibility is there.
“Our responsibility because the players were demanding and for the club it’s a good deal. It’s not changing our objective to be in the top position.”