One in every of Aston Villa’s standout gamers may nonetheless be on the transfer this summer season, regardless of each the membership and the participant reportedly being “joyful” with the present state of affairs, based on switch professional Fabrizio Romano.
Villa thump Magpies to spice up Champions League hopes
Aston Villa stored their Champions League hopes alive in emphatic style over the weekend with a dominant 4-1 win over high-flying Newcastle United at Villa Park. Ollie Watkins, Ian Maatsen, and Amadou Onana all discovered the web for Unai Emery’s aspect, whereas Magpies defender Dan Burn added to their tally with an personal objective.
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Aston Villa secured an important 4-1 win over Newcastle on Saturday
The outcome moved Villa inside simply two factors of Newcastle. They’re additionally now only one level behind Manchester Metropolis and degree with Chelsea, making the race for a top-four end extremely tight with solely a handful of video games remaining.
Subsequent up is a frightening journey to the Etihad Stadium to face Metropolis on Tuesday, a fixture that might show decisive within the push for Champions League qualification. Talking after the weekend’s win, Emery harassed the significance of sustaining momentum.
“We won’t cease. We’re concerned in the important thing second of the season. By the Premier League, we try to succeed in our first goal,” he mentioned.
On Watkins – whose objective drew him degree with Gabriel Agbonlahor as Villa’s all-time prime Premier League scorer – Emery added: “I am so proud of how he’s performing and progressing below our administration. His particular person objective is essential—for him, for us, for the membership, and for our general improvement. Hopefully, we will preserve serving to him to attain an increasing number of.”
Watkins may go away Villa Park this summer season
Whereas Unai Emery is clearly thrilled with Watkins—who has scored 15 Premier League targets this season—his future at Villa Park isn’t fully safe. In accordance with switch professional Fabrizio Romano, Watkins may nonetheless go away the membership this summer season if the proper provide arrives. Writing in his unique GIVEMESPORT publication, Romano famous that each Villa and the participant are proud of the present state of affairs, however did not rule out a transfer.
“They’re proud of Watkins and he’s joyful on the membership,” Romano wrote. “Then if a proposal comes, by no means say by no means – because it was the case in January.”
Watkins was reportedly the topic of a £40 million bid from Arsenal in the course of the winter switch window, although Villa in the end selected to reject the provide.
Having already seen Jhon Durán depart for the Saudi Professional League in January, dropping Watkins this summer season would characterize a significant blow for Aston Villa – significantly in the event that they’re unable to safe the everlasting signing of Marcus Rashford from Manchester United.
That mentioned, Villa have proven a knack in current seasons for changing outgoing expertise with even stronger additions, so it would not be clever to wager towards them pulling off one thing comparable once more if Watkins does transfer on.
