Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has delivered an emotional farewell to striker Ollie Watkins, who is on the verge of completing a £51 million move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal.

Emery revealed that Watkins apologised to him and the squad after refusing to feature in Villa's Premier League match against Brighton on Sunday. The manager said both he and the players accepted the apology.

"He told us after the Brighton match he was sorry and that he had made a mistake. He was wrong, but we accepted it. The players as well," Emery said.

The 30-year-old forward is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia on Friday to finalise the deal. Watkins leaves as Aston Villa's all-time record Premier League scorer, having netted 91 league goals — part of a total of 108 across all competitions since his £28 million arrival from Brentford in 2020.

"His commitment and his behaviour was fantastic. He's a fantastic guy — a fantastic guy even more than a player. I told him 'bye' with a huge hug and with small tears," Emery added.

Jackson and Goretzka usher in a new era

Aston Villa are moving swiftly to rebuild, with Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson set to arrive as Watkins' replacement in a deal worth £65 million. The Senegal international could be registered in time for Monday's home clash against Arsenal, though Emery acknowledged the club are working to ensure his eligibility.

Emery defended the club's recent transfer activity, pointing to the financial logic behind selling established players at significant fees.

"It's crazy [money for someone] 30 years old and £50m for Ezri Konsa [who is 28]. How we developed in the last year with some players and how we can sell some players now is completely the right decision," he said.

The rebuild also includes the arrival of Leon Goretzka, who joined Aston Villa on a free transfer on Thursday after departing Bayern Munich at the end of last season. The German midfielder, a seven-time Bundesliga champion and UEFA Champions League winner with Bayern, is in line to feature against Arsenal on Monday.

"He is a winner. He is a very competitive player — a good player to add into our squad. He is versatile and arrives fit and training well. Hopefully on Monday he can be on the field," Emery said.

Aston Villa's summer overhaul signals a clear ambition to remain competitive at the top of English football while capitalising on the enormous transfer fees now available to clubs able to develop talent at the highest level.