Tears at Villa Park! Emery makes emotional Watkins admission
Unai Emery has made an emotional admission as Aston Villa prepare to say goodbye to Ollie Watkins. The manager revealed that the striker's departure has affected him on a deeply personal level.
Details: Emery said he had a small cry after saying goodbye to Watkins, who is set to leave Aston Villa for Al Hilal. The Spaniard has also confirmed that Villa are about to begin a new chapter following the forward's exit.
Watkins' future has dominated the conversation around Villa in recent days. The England international missed the Premier League opener against Brighton as speculation over a move to Saudi Arabia intensified, but he later returned to training and apologised to the group. Villa had previously rejected several approaches for their leading striker before the situation moved rapidly towards a farewell. Emery's words underline how significant the departure is for the club. Watkins has been a central figure in Villa's attack, and replacing such a player is never straightforward. The manager is now expected to turn to Nicolas Jackson, whose arrival from Chelsea has been described as imminent. Villa are therefore preparing for a major reshuffle in their forward line before the window closes.
It's worth noting that Emery described the coming period as a new chapter for Aston Villa. The club will look to quickly settle its new attacking structure after Watkins' expected move to Al Hilal.
Reminder: HERE WE GO! Aston Villa complete record transfer for Chelsea striker
Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
