Unai Emery Sees Nicolas Jackson as New Chapter for Aston Villa
Unai Emery believes Nicolas Jackson will be an Aston Villa player in time to walk straight into the fire against Arsenal on Monday night – and he is treating the Chelsea striker’s arrival as the start of a “new chapter” at the club.
Jackson, whose fee stands at £47.5m and could climb to a club‑record £65m with add-ons, has been Emery’s first-choice pick to replace Ollie Watkins. Watkins has turned down a new contract and is on the brink of a £50m move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal. Neither transfer has been officially confirmed, but Villa are already bracing for life after their Premier League-era record goalscorer.
Watkins exit leaves tears – and an apology
Emery did not hide how hard Watkins’s departure has hit him. The England forward refused to play in last weekend’s 4-0 defeat at Brighton, leaving Villa without a recognised striker and prompting a raw, emotional fallout inside the dressing room.
“I can tell you his commitment and his behaviour was fantastic always,” Emery said. “He told us after the match he was sorry and he told us that he made a mistake, that he was wrong. We accepted it, the players as well, because he always had very good behaviour and commitment with the club, with us and with me.”
Then came the human side. “For me, he is a fantastic guy, an even more fantastic a guy than a player. I told him bye with a huge hug and a small tear,” Emery admitted, before quickly turning towards what comes next. “But now it’s a new chapter here with Nicolas Jackson. A new chapter, we replace him and of course all the best to Watkins in Saudi. With Nicolas Jackson replacing him, we are of course happy.”
Watkins leaves as Villa’s leading scorer in the Premier League era, with 91 goals in 221 league appearances. The manner of his exit, though bruising, will not erase that, Emery insisted.
“The four years working with him have been a high-level relationship with him as a professional,” he said. “Last week I was a little bit disappointed. I was disappointed, but we spoke about it, and now clear. One mistake is not closing all the good things he did here. For the supporters as well. He is class, and I think it’s a legacy here.”
Arsenal looming, standards questioned
The Brighton collapse has sharpened minds at Villa Park. Arsenal, the champions, arrive on Monday, and Emery knows his side cannot repeat the same level of performance if they want to avoid back-to-back defeats.
“Maybe we are not performing like we were performing but the objective is to get to the same way we did, the same performances we had,” he said. “We will need time. Last year we showed we needed time. On Monday we will see, [whether] we will need more time or if some players are progressing quickly.”
Help is on the way. Leon Goretzka, signed from Bayern Munich on Thursday, could make his debut against Arsenal, adding power and experience to midfield. Zion Suzuki, brought in from Parma for £30m, is also in line for a first appearance as Emiliano Martínez closes on a £7.5m move to Chelsea.
So Villa head into a huge home game in flux: their talisman gone, a new No 9 incoming, a fresh midfield general and a new goalkeeper ready to step in. Emery calls it a new chapter. Arsenal will test how quickly the pages turn.
Chelsea juggle exits and arrivals
While Villa rebuild, Chelsea are staring at a frantic end to the window of their own. Alongside the Martínez deal, they have explored a move for Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara as they wait for Manchester City to make their first formal bid for Enzo Fernández.
City have still not contacted Chelsea over Fernández, but the Argentina international is desperate to leave before Tuesday night’s deadline. Chelsea are weighing their options and have Camara on a shortlist that also features Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton. Camara would not be a like-for-like replacement for Fernández but is viewed as a way to bolster Xabi Alonso’s midfield should City finally move.
The problem for Chelsea is that nobody wants to sell. Bournemouth have made clear they intend to keep Scott. Palace have sent the same message about Wharton. Arsenal, for their part, are understood to have rejected an enquiry for Martín Zubimendi.
And then there is the price. Talk around Fernández has hovered around the £106.7m mark, but Chelsea will only sanction his departure if their conditions are met. Sources have warned that City may have to go beyond the London club’s initial £120m valuation for the 25-year-old.
Villa reshaping their spine. Chelsea demanding top dollar. City circling. With the deadline closing in and Arsenal on the horizon, the next few days will show whether this “new chapter” at Villa Park opens with a statement – or a struggle.
