Departing Watkins apologised for refusing to play - Emery

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery revealed that striker Ollie Watkins apologised to the team for refusing to play against Brighton ahead of his imminent 51 million pound transfer to Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal.

The 30-year-old England forward is expected in Saudi Arabia to finalize the deal, while Aston Villa are poised to complete a 65 million pound move for Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson as his direct replacement.

Addressing the situation, Emery said both he and the squad accepted Watkins' apology after the forward acknowledged he was wrong to make himself unavailable for Sunday's match. Emery commended Watkins for his overall conduct during his time at Villa, describing his commitment as fantastic despite the late dispute.

Watkins leaves Villa Park as the club's record Premier League scorer, having registered 91 league goals and 108 goals in all competitions following his 28 million pound transfer from Brentford in 2020. Emery acknowledged an emotional farewell with the player, noting that the squad must now turn its focus to a new chapter with Jackson.

Aston Villa are currently working to complete Jackson's registration in time for the Senegal international to be eligible for Monday's fixture against Arsenal.

Watkins' departure is the latest high-profile exit from Villa following their successful 2025-26 season. Emery defended the club's strategy of selling established players for substantial fees, pointing to the financial logic of securing major returns for mature assets, including the 50 million pound sale of 28-year-old defender Ezri Konsa.

Emery called on supporters to accept the club's operational model, explaining that developing players and selling them at high market valuations is necessary to fulfill financial obligations and fund a swift squad reconstruction.

As part of that ongoing squad overhaul, midfielder Leon Goretzka completed a free transfer to Aston Villa after his contract with Bayern Munich expired at the end of last season. The 30-year-old German midfielder, who won seven Bundesliga titles and the Champions League with Bayern, has already trained with the team. Emery highlighted Goretzka's winning pedigree and versatility, indicating that the midfielder could make his debut against Arsenal on Monday.