Watkins here to stay – Emery

STRIKER Ollie Watkins has told boss Unai Emery that he wants to stay at Aston Villa and reject interest from Arsenal.

The Gunners made an approach for the England international this past week, but it was knocked back as Villa have no intention of letting the forward leave.

Emery said Watkins, who scored in Wednesday’s 4-2 Champions League win over Celtic, is expected to stay.

“Yes, he is happy to stay,” he said when asked if Watkins had expressed his desire to remain at Villa Park.

“You can ask him. We ask him how he is feeling every day and every year he has been here with Aston Villa, with us and without us.”

Watkins (29) has 81 goals in 201 appearances for Villa since joining from Brentford for £28 million in 2020.

“The commitment of Ollie Watkins with us is a huge commitment.

“He appreciates a lot how Aston Villa was always supporting him, helping him, and when we (the current coaching staff) joined him here two years ago, how we worked with him, always trying to get the best of him.

“Now we need him, like he needed Aston Villa.

“I am speaking with him a lot, he is always adapting of every circumstance we have in the squad and individually with him.

“When there are some teams calling us and interested in the players, of course, it is very good for us and very good for the players.

“Some players prefer to leave and some players accept to stay here, to be here and commit with us here and to be with our challenge.

“One of those is Ollie Watkins.”

Fellow striker Jhon Duran is expected to complete a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr in a deal worth up to 85 million euros.

Monchi, Villa’s president of football operations, admits that the club will need to keep some of the money brought in to help comply with profit and sustainability rules.

He said: “It is an important operation for a player with tremendous potential.

“But these types of offers, for the club and the player, are difficult to reject.

“Between fixed and variable amounts, it will be close to 85 million euros.

“There are a few small details left and, for the player, it is an incredible economic leap.

“The first thing we are going to do with the money we receive from the sale of Duran is to keep a portion of it because of the fair play rules, which are very demanding.

“A significant part of the income will go towards that.”

Chelsea striker Joao Felix and Paris St-Germain forward Marco Asensio are both on Villa’s wishlist before Monday’s deadline as they look for reinforcements.

Felix has seven goals in 20 games for Chelsea having moved to Stamford Bridge from Atletico Madrid for £45 million last summer, but has made just three Premier League starts.

Spain international Asensio (29) has made 16 appearances for PSG, scoring twice, but just eight of them have come in Ligue 1 for the leaders.

Monchi told Spanish radio station El Larguero: “There are names, one of them being Joao.

“Emery likes him, because in the three transfer markets I have been in, the fourth with this one, he has always been mentioned and has been a small object of desire for Emery.

“But it is complicated, and I don’t know if we will be able to be there.

“The first time, Aston Villa were in the Conference (League) and he wanted the Champions League – that’s why he went to Barcelona.

“Then, in the operation with (Conor) Gallagher and Atletico, he had to enter into negotiations with Chelsea and we couldn’t get in.

“It’s a similar case to Asensio, there is also an important love affair.

“Shortly before my arrival, Aston Villa tried to sign him and came close, but he went to PSG.

“He is a player that Emery has always had in mind because he believes in his quality,” he said. – BBC.