As the transfer deadline approaches on Monday, Aston Villa find themselves at a pivotal moment, with strikers Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran drawing significant interest from rival clubs. Manager Unai Emery has made it clear that the club will take a "demanding" approach in negotiations, particularly with Arsenal, who recently had a bid for England international Watkins turned down.
In a recent Champions League match against Celtic, which ended in a 4-2 victory for Villa, Watkins was centre stage, scoring a goal and missing a penalty amid the swirling transfer speculation. Following the match, Emery expressed his desire to retain key players, stating, "I don't want [to sell]. It is good news to have offers from other clubs. We want to keep our sporting objective through the players we have in the squad."
Emery elaborated on the complexities of the transfer market, noting, "Every player can be in the market if it is good for the player and the club. To get this deal we are going to be demanding. Watkins is our striker." However, his comments regarding Duran, who has been the subject of transfer discussions for some time, were less definitive. "If he is leaving it's because he wants [to]. I told you last week I wanted him here. After the West Ham match, I told you I want him here," he remarked.
The Villa manager acknowledged the intricate nature of the transfer landscape, emphasising the need for a strategic approach. "We are different people, different objectives. The club is working and we have to be intelligent in the market. Our objective here is to keep our structure because we want to keep the level high, and maybe we have to sell some players - and I don't know exactly - until everything is done whether or not Jhon Duran is leaving - but if he does, it'll be good news for us because it's good money."
Concluding his remarks, Emery expressed uncertainty about Duran's future at the club, stating, "I don't know if Duran will leave or not. I want to keep him here, but we have to respect it. It's good news to have offers from other clubs - but we want to keep our best players."
According to a recent report by the BBC, the ongoing negotiations surrounding Watkins and Duran highlight the challenges Aston Villa face in balancing squad continuity with the demands of the transfer market. As the deadline draws near, the decisions made in the coming days could have a profound impact on the club's ambitions for the remainder of the season.