Ollie Watkins' Future at Aston Villa: Unai Emery's Concerns
Ollie Watkins could be the next big name out of Aston Villa as Unai Emery admitted he cannot guarantee the striker will stay at the club.
The England forward is being pursued by Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, with Emery confirming that formal offers have already landed on Villa’s desk. After a summer in which key figures have streamed out of Villa Park, the manager is fighting to keep hold of his main goalscorer, but he knows the situation may yet turn against him.
Villa’s core under threat
Ezri Konsa is heading to Arsenal in a £51m deal. Morgan Rogers has already gone to Chelsea for a record £117m. Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne have also departed in a ruthless reshaping of Emery’s squad.
Now the spotlight is on Watkins.
"We have an issue with him, it's clear. He is our player. We have had offers for him," Emery said, laying bare the reality of the situation.
"I don't want to sell him but it can change because if it's a good option for him and the club and I can replace him in the squad, this is the routine we have and we did before with the players who are leaving.
"With Ollie, he is here, for me he is a fantastic striker, we have always believed in him.
"Now he is our player, there are 10 days more or less to finish the transfer window, we will see what happens, I'm happy with him, if he is staying with us he will continue playing his level.
"If he leaving it's because it is good for three ways, one is him, another is the club and another is the team."
Watkins, signed from Brentford for £28m in 2020, has hit 108 goals for Villa and stands as the club’s record Premier League scorer. Losing him now would not just be another sale; it would rip out the heart of Emery’s attack.
The scale of the potential upheaval is stark. If Watkins and goalkeeper Emi Martinez both move on, Villa will have sold six members of the starting XI that lifted the Europa League just two months ago.
Martinez future clouded as Suzuki steps in
Martinez’s own future has already been dragged through a failed move. His proposed transfer to Juventus collapsed after the clubs could not agree a fee, leaving the World Cup winner in limbo while Villa moved decisively for his successor.
Japan international Zion Suzuki has arrived from Parma for £30m and will be Villa’s new No.1. The message from Emery is clear: this signing is about the present, not a slow handover.
"We have two excellent goalkeepers, of course we signed Suzuki not for the future but for now. He showed his capacity to get his performance to our level. He will need to adapt to us but he is playing at this level," Emery said.
Martinez, though, will not be involved in Sunday’s Premier League opener at Brighton. The Argentina international has had only one training session since returning from a post-World Cup break and is not ready to feature.
Emery explained the keeper’s stance on his career path.
"Martinez transmitted to us the possibility to have another challenge in his career.
"Even last year, he was thinking in case he can have one possibility to change for his challenges.
"He didn't do it last year and he performed fantastic with us. This year, again, he transmitted us the possibility to have another challenge and we decided to sign Suzuki because I think he's a fantastic goalkeeper."
So Villa head into the new season with a new No.1, a dressing room stripped of several Europa League heroes, and their star striker’s future hanging over the final days of the window. The rebuild is already under way. The real question is whether Emery will have Watkins to lead it.
