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Published January 31, 2025 2:34pm Updated January 31, 2025 2:34pm
Unai Emery says Ollie Watkins is ‘happy to stay’ at Aston Villa and will not join Premier League rivals Arsenal this January transfer window.
Earlier this week, Arsenal make an audacious bid to sign England striker Watkins in an effort to rejuvenate their struggling attack.
The £60million bid was quickly rejected by Villa with the Gunners set to make an improved offer before the window closes next week.
Reports suggested that the 29-year-old was ‘open’ to the idea of moving to the Emirates, with Villa looking at Chelsea’s Joao Felix as a potential replacement.
But speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s game at Wolves, Emery insisted Watkins will not only remain at Villa Park but is fully committed to the club.
‘Yes, he is happy to stay. We asked him how he is feeling every day and year he is being here with Villa and he is happy here,’ the Spanish manager said.
‘The commitment of Ollie Watkins with us is a huge commitment. He appreciates a lot how Villa was always supporting him and helping him, when we joined here two years ago how we were working with him and getting the best of him.
‘Now we need him, like he needed Aston Villa in the last years. I am speaking with him a lot, he is always adapting with every circumstances we have and of course when some teams calling us being interested in the players it’s very good for us and the players.
‘Some players prefer to leave and some accept to stay here and commit with our challenges. One of them is Ollie Watkins.’
The Villans may have been more inclined to sell Watkins if they had not already agreed the sale of fellow striker Jhon Duran who is leaving for Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr in a deal worth upwards of £64m.
More to follow…
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