Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has indicated that Ollie Watkins should explain his absence from the squad during the team’s Premier League season-opening 4-0 defeat against Brighton. Watkins was not included in the matchday squad for the fixture at the Amex Stadium on Sunday, a decision that has drawn attention amid ongoing transfer interest from Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia.
Emery faced a challenging situation with his attacking options, as both Brian Madjo and Tammy Abraham were sidelined due to injuries. Despite these absences, Watkins, who is reportedly considering a move to Al-Hilal, was not selected. This led Emery to deploy attacking midfielder Emiliano Buendía in an emergency striker role for the match.
Watkins’ Transfer Situation
Al-Hilal has submitted multiple bids for Watkins, all of which have been rejected by Aston Villa. However, it is understood that the 30-year-old striker is open to the prospect of moving to Saudi Arabia. Emery’s comments on Friday suggested a realistic outlook regarding a potential sale, acknowledging the possibility of Watkins’ departure.
When questioned about Watkins’ exclusion from the squad against Brighton, Emery responded cryptically. He stated, “This question is for him,” and added, “I can answer only with my silence.” Further pressed on whether Watkins had refused to play, Emery suggested, “I think you can call him and you can call his agent and he can respond.”
The manager reiterated that he could not provide an explanation for Watkins’ actions. “He [Watkins] can only explain his answer, I can’t,” Emery remarked when asked if he felt let down by the player’s decision. Watkins had returned to training earlier in the week following his post-World Cup summer break.
Villa has reportedly rejected Al-Hilal’s fourth and most recent offer for Watkins, which was valued at approximately £45 million. Watkins has communicated to the club his desire to make the move to the Saudi Pro League. Emery had previously acknowledged on Friday that the club was facing “an issue” with the England international, noting that while he did not want to sell Watkins, circumstances could change if it presented a good option for both the player and the club, provided a replacement could be found.
The club had previously offered Watkins a new contract, a proposed two-year extension to his current deal which runs until 2028, following his rejection of earlier informal offers. His potential departure would add Watkins to a list of significant first-team players who have left Villa Park this summer. These include Morgan Rogers, who joined Chelsea; Lucas Digne, who rejoined Paris Saint-Germain; Youri Tielemans, who moved to Manchester United; and Ezri Konsa, who is reportedly close to joining Arsenal.
Team Challenges and Future Outlook
The match itself saw Aston Villa fall behind quickly, trailing 4-0 after just 31 minutes. Adding to their difficulties, new signing João Gomes was sent off on his debut in the 40th minute after an incident involving Brighton striker Georginio Rutter. Emery praised the commitment shown by his other players, particularly their resistance in the second half of the game.
Emery provided updates on other injured players, stating that Madjo is expected to be out for “two weeks more… more or less.” He also mentioned that Johan Manzambi, the club’s marquee summer signing, would “need maybe some days more” than Madjo. The timeframe for Abraham’s return remains unclear.
Despite the challenging start to the season and the ongoing transfer market issues, Emery expressed optimism about finding solutions. He acknowledged that the club has faced similar problems in previous seasons and has always managed to overcome them. Emery emphasised the need for calmness, hard work, and a positive approach to find solutions for the upcoming week and after the transfer window closes.
Aston Villa has been active in the transfer market this summer, bringing in several new players. These include attacking midfielder Johan Manzambi from Freiburg, midfielder João Gomes from Wolverhampton Wanderers, winger Alejandro Garnacho from Chelsea, goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Parma, and full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka from West Ham United. Watkins joined Villa in 2020 from Brentford and has since made 278 appearances, scoring 108 goals.
Source: theguardian.com