Unai Emery Prepares Aston Villa for New Chapter with Nicolas Jackson
Unai Emery says Aston Villa are ready to turn the page. The manager expects Nicolas Jackson to complete his £47.5m move from Chelsea in time to face Arsenal on Monday night – and he sees the striker as the face of a “new chapter” at the club.
Jackson was Emery’s first-choice replacement for Ollie Watkins, whose own story at Villa has ended in tears, apologies and a £50m switch to Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League. Neither transfer has been officially confirmed yet, but Jackson’s fee could eventually climb to a club-record £65m with add-ons.
Watkins’s exit has clearly cut deep. Emery admitted the England forward’s departure reduced him to tears and revealed Watkins apologised to him and the dressing room after refusing to play in last weekend’s 4-0 defeat at Brighton, a decision that left Villa without a recognised striker.
“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.
“For me, he is a fantastic guy, an even more fantastic a guy than a player. I told him bye with a huge hug and a small tear but now it’s a new chapter here with Nicolas Jackson. 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 as Villa’s record scorer in the Premier League era, with 91 goals in 221 league appearances, and Emery was quick to defend his legacy, even after the Brighton flashpoint.
“The four years working with him have been a high-level relationship with him as a professional,” Emery added. “Last week I was a little bit disappointed. I was disappointed, but we spoke about it, and now clear. 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.”
Attention now turns to Arsenal and the need for a reaction. Villa were dismantled at Brighton, and Emery knows a repeat will invite a second straight defeat against the champions.
“Maybe we are not performing like we were performing but the objective is to get to the same way we did, the same performances we had,” he said. “We will need time. 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.”
He may not have long to wait for answers. Leon Goretzka, signed from Bayern Munich on Thursday, could make his debut against Mikel Arteta’s side. Zion Suzuki is also in line for a first appearance after his £30m move from Parma, with Emiliano Martínez close to sealing a £7.5m transfer to Chelsea.
Chelsea, though, have plenty more on their plate before the window shuts.
As they move towards completing the Martínez deal, the club are also exploring midfield options while they wait for Manchester City to formalise their interest in Enzo Fernández. City have yet to make official contact over the Argentina international, who is desperate to leave before Tuesday night’s deadline.
Chelsea are weighing up their next steps and have Monaco’s Lamine Camara on a shortlist that also features Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton. Camara, a Senegal international, is not viewed as a like-for-like Fernández replacement but as a player who would bolster Xabi Alonso’s midfield should Fernández head to the Etihad.
Resistance is strong. Bournemouth have made it clear they do not want to sell Scott, while Palace have delivered the same message regarding Wharton. Arsenal, for their part, are understood to have knocked back an enquiry for Martín Zubimendi.
The Fernández saga could yet define Chelsea’s window. Despite suggestions a deal might be close to the £106.7m Chelsea paid to sign him, the club will only sanction a sale if their conditions are met. Sources have warned City they may have to go beyond Chelsea’s initial £120m asking price for the 25-year-old.
Villa, meanwhile, step into Monday night under new lights: Watkins gone, Jackson incoming, a rebuilt spine taking shape. The question now is whether this “new chapter” starts with a statement – or with another reminder of how far they still have to go.
