Unai Emery faced an emotional goodbye as Ollie Watkins prepared to leave Aston Villa after six years with the club. The Spanish manager admitted that he shed a few tears while saying farewell to the England striker, despite being disappointed by Watkins’ decision to miss Aston Villa’s opening Premier League match.
Watkins is now on the verge of completing a move to Al Hilal for a reported £50 million. Aston Villa have moved quickly to find his replacement, signing Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea for £65 million.
The departure brings an emotional end to Watkins’ time at Villa Park, while Emery has chosen to remember the striker’s overall contribution rather than allowing one difficult episode to define their relationship.
Ollie Watkins Set for Aston Villa Exit
Watkins’ departure comes after he informed Aston Villa of his desire to continue his career in Saudi Arabia.
The 30-year-old reportedly received an attractive contract proposal and decided that a move to Al Hilal was the right next step for his career.
His decision also affected Aston Villa’s preparations for their opening fixture against Brighton.
Watkins chose not to play in that match, despite Villa having two other strikers, Tammy Abraham and Brian Madjo, unavailable because of injuries.
The situation understandably frustrated Emery, particularly given the timing.
However, the manager revealed that Watkins later acknowledged his mistake and apologised to the club.
Watkins Admitted His Decision Was a Mistake
Emery explained that Watkins spoke to the club after the Brighton match and accepted responsibility for his decision.
“Watkins has always shown outstanding commitment and behaviour. Last week, we could not complete the deal before the final match against Brighton. But after the match, he told us that he was sorry, admitted he had made a mistake and said he was wrong,” Emery said during a press conference ahead of Aston Villa’s match against Arsenal.
The apology appears to have helped ease tensions between Watkins and the club.
Emery said both he and the Aston Villa players accepted the striker’s apology.
That response is significant considering the circumstances surrounding Watkins’ decision. Villa were preparing for a new season, while their attacking options had already been affected by injuries.
Rather than allowing the incident to overshadow Watkins’ entire time at the club, Emery chose to look at the bigger picture.
Emery Accepts Watkins’ Apology
According to Emery, Watkins’ previous behaviour and commitment to Aston Villa played an important role in how the situation was handled.
“We accepted it, as did the players, because he has always shown very good behaviour towards the club and towards me. He is an amazing person, even more than a player,” Emery said.
The manager then revealed just how emotional their final goodbye became.
“I said goodbye to him with a big hug and a few tears,” Emery added.
For a manager who has worked with Watkins throughout his Aston Villa tenure, the moment represented more than simply the departure of a footballer.
Watkins became an important part of Villa’s development during his six years at the club, making the final farewell particularly meaningful for Emery.
Emery Was Disappointed but Refused to Forget Watkins’ Contribution
Emery did not hide his disappointment over Watkins’ decision to miss the Brighton match.
The manager admitted that he spoke to the striker about the situation and made his feelings clear.
However, Emery also made it clear that one mistake would not erase years of positive contributions.
“I was a little bit disappointed and we spoke about it. But it has to be clear that he is an amazing person and one mistake does not erase all the good things he has done here. Ollie is a classy player,” Emery said.
That message reflects Emery’s broader attitude toward the departure.
While the circumstances were difficult, the manager still wanted to recognise Watkins’ character and his overall impact at Aston Villa.
It also allowed the club and player to move forward without allowing their final chapter to become defined solely by disagreement.
Al Hilal Move Opens a New Chapter
Watkins is now expected to begin a new chapter with Al Hilal.
The proposed £50 million transfer would take the England international away from the Premier League and into Saudi Arabian football.
His decision to move to Saudi Arabia was influenced by the attractive contract on offer, while Al Hilal have emerged as the destination for the next stage of his career.
For Watkins, the transfer represents a major change after six years at Aston Villa.
For Villa, meanwhile, it creates the challenge of replacing a forward who has been an important part of the squad.
The club have already acted by bringing in Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea for £65 million.
Nicolas Jackson Becomes Villa’s New Attacking Option
With Watkins heading for the exit, Aston Villa have moved quickly to strengthen their attack.
Nicolas Jackson arrives from Chelsea in a deal worth £65 million, giving Emery a new option to lead the forward line.
The change marks the beginning of a new phase for Villa’s attack.
Emery acknowledged that the club are now entering a different chapter.
“This is a new chapter with Nicolas Jackson. Hopefully Watkins gets the best in Saudi Arabia. Of course, we are happy,” Emery said.
The arrival of Jackson means Aston Villa can now focus on building their attacking plans around a different profile of forward.
What Watkins’ Departure Means for Aston Villa
Watkins’ exit leaves Aston Villa with several changes to manage as they begin the new campaign.
The key developments include:
- Watkins is set to leave Aston Villa for Al Hilal.
- The reported transfer fee is £50 million.
- Watkins previously spent six years at Aston Villa.
- He missed the opening match against Brighton.
- Watkins later apologised and admitted his decision was a mistake.
- Emery accepted the apology and praised his overall character.
- Nicolas Jackson has joined Villa from Chelsea for £65 million.
The transition will now be about how quickly Jackson can settle into Emery’s plans.
A Difficult Goodbye for Emery
For Emery, Watkins’ departure clearly carries an emotional element.
The manager admitted being disappointed by how the final stage unfolded, but he also refused to let that moment erase the relationship they had built over the years.
His description of the final goodbye, including the hug and tears, underlines how significant Watkins’ time at Aston Villa was.
Now, both sides are moving forward.
Watkins will begin a new adventure with Al Hilal, while Aston Villa turn their attention toward a new attacking era with Nicolas Jackson.
Emery’s message was ultimately one of respect. Despite the disappointment, he wished Watkins well and recognised the positive contribution the striker made during his time at the club.
For Aston Villa supporters, Watkins’ departure may be difficult to see. But as Emery’s emotional farewell showed, football can sometimes bring an end to one chapter even when the memories remain positive.
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