Unai Emery has revealed that Ollie Watkins personally apologised to him and his Aston Villa team-mates for refusing to feature against Brighton before his £51m move to Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal is finalised.

The 30-year-old is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia on Friday to complete the transfer, bringing to an end a five-year stint at Villa Park in which he became the club's record Premier League goalscorer. Watkins leaves having netted 91 Premier League goals and 108 in all competitions since arriving from Brentford for £28m in 2020.

Emery: 'A hug and small tears'

Emery was notably moved when speaking about Watkins' departure ahead of Monday's home fixture against Arsenal, admitting the farewell was a genuinely emotional one.

"He told us after the Brighton match he was sorry and that he had made a mistake. He was wrong, but we accepted it. The players as well," Emery said. "His commitment and his behaviour was fantastic. He's a fantastic guy — a fantastic guy even more than a player. I told him 'bye' with a huge hug and with small tears."

Despite the awkwardness around the Brighton situation — where Watkins made himself unavailable — Emery was keen to underline the broader picture. The England striker's conduct across five seasons at the club clearly counts for a great deal in the manager's eyes, and the squad appear to have drawn a line under the incident quickly.

Jackson deal close as Villa push for Monday registration

Villa are not wasting time. Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson has been agreed as the direct replacement, with a fee of £65m understood to be in place. The club are now working at pace to ensure the Senegal international is registered in time to face Arsenal on Monday evening.

"But now it's a new chapter here with Nicolas Jackson," Emery added, framing the business as forward-looking rather than a source of regret.

Emery defends Villa's summer of sales

Watkins is not the only established name heading for the exit door at Villa this summer. Ezri Konsa has also departed, with Emery publicly defending the club's decision-making to fans who may be concerned about the volume of outgoings.

"We took decisions because it's good for the club," Emery said. "It's crazy [money] for someone 30 years old and £50m for Ezri Konsa who is 28. How we developed in the last year with some players and how we can sell some players now is completely the right decision."

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."

Goretzka adds Champions League pedigree

On the incoming front, Leon Goretzka completed his move to Villa Park on Thursday on a free transfer after leaving Bayern Munich at the end of last season. The Germany midfielder brings with him seven Bundesliga titles and a Champions League winners' medal — experience Emery believes will prove invaluable.

"He is a winner. He is a very competitive player — a good player to add into our squad," the Villa boss said. "He is versatile and arrives fit and training well. Hopefully on Monday he can be on the field."

With Arsenal visiting on Monday, Villa's summer transition is already being tested. How quickly Jackson and Goretzka bed in could go a long way to determining whether the club's ambitious rebuild hits the ground running or needs time to find its footing.

Frequently asked

Why did Ollie Watkins refuse to play for Aston Villa?
Watkins made himself unavailable for Villa's match against Brighton ahead of his move to Al-Hilal. Emery confirmed Watkins later apologised to him and the squad, saying he had made a mistake, and that the apology was accepted.
How much is Aston Villa selling Ollie Watkins for?
Villa are set to receive £51m from Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal for Watkins, who joined the club back in 2020 for £28m from Brentford.
Who is replacing Ollie Watkins at Aston Villa?
Nicolas Jackson, the Senegal striker currently at Chelsea, is set to join Villa in a deal worth £65m. The club are working to register him in time for Monday's home game against Arsenal.