Ollie Watkins has told Unai Emery that he wants to stay in Aston Villa.
The international of England – subject of an £ 40 million from Arsenal – has spoken with the Spaniard about his future. And Emery, fresh from discharging striker Jhon Duran for £ 77.5 million to Al-Nassr, has confirmed that the 29-year-old will not move before the closure of this transfer window.
Asked if he had that dedication of his most important striker, Villa's boss said: “Yes, he is happy to stay. You can ask him, but we asked him how he feels every day, every year he is here with Aston Villa With us and without us.
Asked to work out, Emery added: “The dedication of Ollie Watkins with us is a huge commitment, he appreciates a lot of how Aston Villa always supported him, helped him, and when we came here two years ago with him, how we we Have worked with him, always try to get the best of him.
“Now we need him, as if he needed Aston Villa. The conversation we usually have, I speak a lot with him, he always adjusts from every circumstance we have in the team and individually with him.
“If there are a number of teams that call us that are interested in the players, it is of course very good for us and very good for the players.
“Some players prefer to leave and some players accept to stay here, to be here and to be here with us and to be with our challenge. One is Ollie Watkins. '
Speaking after the victory of Villa's Champions League on Celtic on Wednesday evening, Emery revealed his determination to retain Watkins – but admitted that Duran's Exit is a good deal for the club.
Asked if he could say for certain Watkins would not be sold, the Spaniard said: “I don't want to (he leaves). It's good news to have offers from other clubs. We want to keep our sporting objective by the players we have in the team.
“Every player can be on the market if all goes well for the player and the club. To get this deal, we will demand. Watkins is our striker. “Emery said he wanted Duran to stay in the club, but that it is a good deal, where the player also wants to continue.
“Our players are interesting other clubs and also [they are] Paying good money for us, “he added. “But our goal here is of course to keep our structure intelligent, because we want to be on the sports side at the level that we are and to keep it long is the most difficult challenge we have.
“Of course we sometimes have to do it, maybe some players sell and also change and always try to keep improving. I don't know exactly until everything is ready when Jhon Duran leaves, but when he leaves, it's good news for us because this means that they pay good money.
“Because we have developed a young player in two years to get this offer. It is not just for the club, it is the club, the players and the team, those circumstances can be positive. Club, the player and the team. '
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