Aston Villa’s heavy 4-0 defeat away at Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday was one of the club’s worst performances in recent memory, but it was also a cry for help from Unai Emery.
The Spaniard was forced to name a hugely weakened side after the recent antics in the transfer market, which saw numerous players fail to capture the imagination.
Joao Gomes endured a debut to forget after being dismissed, whilst centre-backs Pau Torres and Victor Lindelof certainly didn’t cover themselves in glory.
Emi Buendia was tasked with operating in a false nine position, after one senior member of the Villans caused a stir within the fanbase after his antics prior to the game.
Why Aston Villa must sell Watkins before the end of the window
Ollie Watkins has been a fan favourite at Villa for many years, but the striker is now in serious jeopardy of tarnishing his reputation in the West Midlands.
The Englishman, who’s the club’s all-time leading Premier League scorer, refused to feature in Sunday’s defeat and remained at home and didn’t travel to the AMEX Stadium.
Emery was even asked about the 30-year-old’s absence after the game and stated: “This question is for him. I can answer only with my silence. I think you call his agent and he can respond. He can only explain his answer, I can’t.”
Despite returning to Bodymoor Heath on Monday, Watkins may well have burnt his bridges with the Villa faithful, with the club needing to move him on before the deadline.
|
Most PL goals for Aston Villa (2025/26) |
|
|---|---|
|
Player |
Tally |
|
Ollie Watkins |
16 |
|
Morgan Rogers |
10 |
|
Emi Buendia |
6 |
|
John McGinn |
5 |
|
Donyell Malen |
4 |
|
Matty Cash |
3 |
|
Ross Barkley |
3 |
|
Amadou Onana |
2 |
It’s evident he sees his future away from the West Midlands, and there’s no point keeping hold of a player who simply does not have the desire to perform on a consistent basis.
Watkins is also entering the final years of his professional career, and this summer could present the final opportunity to cash in and make a profit on their £30m investment.
Such funds could be used to make moves in the remaining days of the window, with Emery in desperate need of added reinforcements to help him in his quest for success.
How Aston Villa can replace Watkins before the deadline
Should Watkins be offloaded before the end of the summer transfer window, the need for added attacking reinforcements will undoubtedly increase massively.
The 30-year-old netted 21 goals across all competitions last campaign, with no player within Emery’s senior ranks managing to find the net on more occasions.
As a result, the hierarchy have started to draw up a list of potential additions, which has seen AC Milan winger Rafael Leão touted as one option to bolster the attacking department.
It’s been reported by journalist Antonio Vitiello that initial conversations between the Villans and Italian giants have been held to gain further understanding of a deal.
However, despite the aforementioned interest in the Portuguese attacker, no formal offer has yet been presented, but talks are said to be ongoing at present.
Competition does appear to be fierce for his signature though, as Galatasaray are also willing to swoop in and make an offer for his services before the window slams shut.
The 27-year-old certainly hasn’t hit the heights many expected a couple of years ago, but he has still managed to be a consistent performer in Serie A.
His stats from last season showcase his quality within forward areas and demonstrate how he’d be able to soften the blow should Watkins be sold in the days ahead.
Leao managed to register an impressive average of 1.2 shots on target per 90 last term, subsequently matching the tally of Watkins, whilst registering a better shot on target accuracy rate.
Such numbers highlight his ability to trouble the goalkeeper on more occasions, which could hand Emery the attacking quality he will crave for the 2026/27 campaign.
The Milan star has also caught the eye with his direct dribbling ability, which saw him register a superb tally of 1.3 successful take-ons per 90 in 2025/26.
The aforementioned figure ranked him in the top 18% of all attackers across Europe’s top-five leagues – backing up Luka Modric’s claim that he’s “one of the best players in the world.”
Leao even managed to put the end product onto his mazy runs, subsequently registering a 44% cross success rate – also placing him in the top 15% of players in his position.
Such numbers highlight why the 27-year-old is one of Europe’s most talented attackers, with Emery’s men needing to pull out all the stops to secure his signature.
The interest from Galatasaray could make a deal somewhat trickier to complete, but it should only speed Villa’s attempts to complete a move for the forward.
Watkins’ current situation certainly is not ideal, but a resolution must be found in the days ahead – which could certainly hand the club a boost in their pursuit of the Milan star.
