Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has paid an emotional tribute to departing striker Ollie Watkins, who is set to join Saudi club Al-Hilal for £51m. Emery revealed that Watkins apologised after refusing to play against Brighton, and the squad accepted his apology. "He told us after the Brighton match he was sorry and that he had made a mistake. He was wrong, but we accepted it," said Emery. Watkins, 30, leaves as Villa's record Premier League scorer with 91 goals, and 108 in all competitions since joining from Brentford in 2020.

Villa have agreed a deal to sign Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson for £65m as his replacement, with the Senegal international expected to be registered in time for Monday's visit of Arsenal. Emery praised Jackson's qualities, calling him "a winner" and "a very competitive player." The move is part of a broader rebuild at Villa, which also saw the free-transfer arrival of Leon Goretzka from Bayern Munich. Emery urged fans to back the club's strategy, saying, "We took decisions because it's good for the club." He added, "We have to rebuild the team as fast as possible. Fans have to accept our way and why we are taking some decisions."