Unai Emery did little to dismiss suggestions that Ollie Watkins had made himself unavailable for Aston Villa’s chastening 4-0 loss to Brighton at the Amex on Sunday. Injuries to Brian Madjo and Tammy Abraham left the head coach short of attacking options, yet Watkins was still omitted from the matchday squad as the England forward weighs up a possible transfer to Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal.
With no recognised striker available, Emery deployed attacking midfielder Emiliano Buendía in an unfamiliar centre-forward role. Villa offered little resistance on the south coast, falling four goals behind inside 31 minutes before debutant João Gomes was dismissed in the 40th minute. Gomes received his red card after lashing out at Brighton forward Georginio Rutter, who had taken possession from him.
Al-Hilal have submitted several offers for Watkins, but Villa have turned down each one. The 30-year-old is believed to be interested in the switch, and Emery’s comments on Friday suggested he accepts that a transfer could take place. Villa would clearly need a replacement if Watkins leaves as another challenging summer window draws to a close. Ezri Konsa, Morgan Rogers, Lucas Digne and Youri Tielemans have already been sold, while Emiliano Martínez is also expected to depart.
Asked why Watkins was left out against Brighton, Emery replied: “He is the person who should answer that question. I can respond only by remaining silent.” When questioned directly on whether Watkins had declined to play, Emery said: “You can contact him or speak with his representative, and they can provide an answer.”
When asked whether Watkins’s actions had disappointed him, Emery added: “Only he can explain his decision; I cannot speak for him.”
Emery said Madjo was likely to remain unavailable for approximately another two weeks. He added that attacking midfielder Johan Manzambi, Villa’s leading summer acquisition, may require a few extra days beyond that before returning. No clear recovery date was provided for Abraham.
Emery praised his players for showing greater determination after half-time against Brighton and remained confident that answers could be found for the campaign ahead. However, he again highlighted the difficult circumstances surrounding the opening match, pointing out that two forwards were injured while another had made his own position clear.
The head coach added: “We have faced transfer-market complications in every season, and each time we have managed to get through them. It is a situation we must accept, and the squad has always responded well. These periods are difficult for us each year, but we remain composed. This result makes the circumstances harder to explain, yet we must stay calm, continue working, maintain a positive outlook and find answers for next week and for the period after the transfer window closes.”
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