Unai Emery bids Ollie Watkins an emotional farewell as Al-Hilal move nears | OneFootball

Unai Emery has revealed the emotional send-off he gave Ollie Watkins as the striker edged towards Al-Hilal, despite feeling let down before Brighton. The Aston Villa manager spoke before the trip to Arsenal.

According to Goal.com, Watkins is close to a move worth around £50 million and made clear he wanted a new challenge in the Roshn League after a lucrative offer from the Saudi club.

With Tammy Abraham and Bryan Mbeumo injured, Watkins ruled himself out of the opening-day meeting with Brighton, which frustrated the club. He later apologised to Emery and the squad, accepting he had been in the wrong.

Emery said Watkins’s commitment and behaviour had been excellent overall, and that one mistake could not erase the years and good moments he had provided. He described him as a wonderful person, perhaps even better as a person than as a player, and said he saw him off with a big hug and even shed a small tear.

Watkins’s stature at Villa Park was underlined by that response, yet he is pursuing a fresh challenge with Al-Hilal. Emery added that the club now begins a new chapter with Nicolas Jackson and wished Watkins well in Saudi Arabia.

Source: Goal.com

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