Unai Emery delivers Ollie Watkins transfer plea as Aston Villa line up Chelsea star as replacement | OneFootball

Al Hilal have seen multiple bids rejected for 30-year-old striker

Unai Emery has publicly implored Ollie Watkins to snub interest from Al Hilal and stay at Aston Villa, while the club lines up Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson as a fallback option.

Al Hilal have earmarked Watkins as a top summer target and, per reports in The Athletic, have seen multiple bids rejected for his services. The most recent of these, sent on Friday, was worth £45million.

Watkins was a key player for Villa last season, playing all but one of their Premier League matches and scoring or assisting 19 goals in the process. He also made 15 appearances in their triumphant Europa League campaign.

Future in flux: Ollie Watkins

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Speaking on the eve of Villa’s 2026/27 Premier League kick-off, which will see them visit Brighton, Emery bemoaned the “issue” of speculation surrounding Watkins’ future and made clear his stance on a potential sale.

"We have an issue with him, it's clear,” said the Basque. “He is our player. We have had offers for him.

"I don't want to sell him but it can change because if it's a good option for him and the club and I can replace him in the squad, this is the routine we have and we did before with the players who are leaving.

"With Ollie, he is here, for me he is a fantastic striker, we have always believed in him.

"Now he is our player, there are 10 days more or less to finish the transfer window, we will see what happens, I'm happy with him, if he is staying with us he will continue playing his level."

Aston Villa could look to do more business with Chelsea in a bid to replace Watkins, should he depart. They have already taken Alejandro Garnacho on loan, and Jackson is thought to be held in high regard by the club.

Jackson spent last season on loan at Bayern Munich, who declined to make his stay permanent in May. He is now back training at Cobham with his future up in the air.

He has been training in a separate group away from the first team alongside the likes of Liam Delap, Axel Disasi and Mykhailo Mudryk, all of whom are expected to leave the club this summer.

In the meantime, with Watkins and Tammy Abraham unlikely to feature against Brighton and Brian Madjo injured, Villa could head into the new campaign without a fit recognised centre forward.