Unai Emery's Emotional Farewell to Ollie Watkins at Aston Villa
Unai Emery revealed Ollie Watkins apologised to the Aston Villa squad for refusing to play at the weekend, as the manager delivered a raw, emotional farewell to the club’s record Premier League scorer.
Watkins, 30, is due in Saudi Arabia on Friday to complete a £51m move to Al-Hilal, drawing a line under a four-year spell in which he became the face of Villa’s revival. Villa, in turn, are closing in on Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson for £65m as his direct replacement.
Emery’s emotional goodbye
Emery did not hide the fact that Watkins crossed a line when he made himself unavailable for Sunday’s game against Brighton. The incident could have left a bitter taste. It didn’t.
“He told us after the Brighton match he was sorry and that he had made a mistake. He was wrong, but we accepted it. The players as well,” Emery said.
Then came the human side.
“His commitment and his behaviour was fantastic. He's a fantastic guy – a fantastic guy even more than a player. I told him 'bye' with a huge hug and with small tears.”
Watkins leaves Villa as their all-time top scorer in the Premier League with 91 goals, and 108 in all competitions, since arriving from Brentford for £28m in 2020. Those numbers, and the manner in which he carried the attack, explain the emotion in Emery’s voice.
But sentiment only goes so far. “Now it's a new chapter here with Nicolas Jackson,” he added, drawing a clear line between what Villa have been and what they intend to become.
Jackson in, Watkins out
Villa have agreed a deal for Jackson and are racing against time to have the Senegal international registered for Monday night’s visit of Arsenal. The plan is simple: avoid any lingering hangover from Watkins’ departure by dropping a new centrepiece straight into the front line.
Watkins is not the only experienced figure to move on this summer, and the churn has unsettled some supporters after a hugely successful 2025-26 campaign. Emery understands the unease. He just doesn’t share it.
“We took decisions because it's good for the club,” he said. “Of course, we don't want to be a club that sells players, but the responsibility is there. It's crazy [money for someone] 30 years old and £50m for Ezri Konsa [who is 28].
“How we developed in the last year with some players and how we can sell some players now is completely the right decision.
“We have to rebuild the team as fast as possible. [Fans] have to accept our way and why we are taking some decisions.”
The message is blunt: Villa are trading at the top of the market while they can, trusting Emery to mould the next version just as effectively as the last.
Goretzka brings a winner’s edge
That rebuild is already taking shape. On Thursday, Leon Goretzka completed a free transfer to Villa after leaving Bayern Munich at the end of last season.
His CV needs little dressing up: seven Bundesliga titles, a Champions League, and years spent at the sharp end of European football.
“He is a winner. He is a very competitive player – a good player to add into our squad,” Emery said. “He is versatile and arrives fit and training well. Hopefully on Monday he can be on the field.”
So Villa step into the Arsenal game with their greatest modern goalscorer gone, a new No 9 on the way, and a serial winner dropped into midfield. The Watkins era ends with hugs and apologies; the next chapter starts under the floodlights, with little time for anyone to look back.
