Unai Emery refused to debate switch hypothesis surrounding Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran after Aston Villa secured their place within the Champions League spherical of 16 with a pulsating 4-2 win over Celtic tonight.
Morgan Rogers scored a hat-trick for the house facet with Watkins additionally heading in the right direction, simply hours after information emerged that Villa had obtained a £60million bid for the England striker from Arsenal.
And with Duran reportedly a goal for Saudi Arabian facet Al Nassr – experiences tonight steered the deal was completed with the Colombian set to grow to be a team-mate of Cristiano Ronaldo in a deal price £64 million – it means there might should be some work completed by Emery and the Villa recruitment group ahed of Monday’s switch deadline.
🚨🟡🔵 Jhon Durán to Al Nassr, right here we go! Story from earlier tonight confirmed as paperwork are being ready.
Aston Villa to obtain €77m mounted price plus add-ons, long run deal accepted by Durán.
Medical booked tomorrow after which he’ll journey to Saudi proper after ✈️🇸🇦 pic.twitter.com/m3SN6ots84
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 29, 2025
Requested about Duran, Emery stated: “Tomorrow or Friday we will speak concerning the switch, or perhaps subsequent week, till every part is finished I don’t need to converse, as a result of in soccer every part can occur. The membership is working and attempting to compete within the switch window as a result of we want some gamers. Some can go away, however it’s not time to discuss it.”
On Watkins, who additionally missed a penalty in opposition to Celtic, he added: “I do know you need to ask about it, however I instructed you, at present shouldn’t be the day.”
Good Rogers overshadows Duran
Duran didn’t make it off the bench tonight, thanks largely as a result of type of Watkins and Villa’s different attacking gamers, led by the good Rogers.
“Undoubtedly the spotlight of my profession to this point,” stated the previous Manchester Metropolis teen. “It’s a loopy expertise and a loopy recreation to be part of. It’s an enormous achievement and we ought to be pleased with ourselves.”
Rogers turned the primary participant in Champions League historical past to attain twice within the opening 5 minutes of a recreation because the hosts got here flying out of the traps.
He added: ”It’s one thing we needed to handle beginning video games behind and giving ourselves a mountain to climb. Nonetheless one thing to work on however the good begin is one thing to place us on the suitable foot.
“I felt we have been on prime for the big majority. We scored two objectives and that’s what modified the sport. We’re a bit shorthanded on the again for the time being. We acquired the win.
“We needed to dig deep, we all know we will, we do it within the Premier League each week. We completely deserved it. We’ve acquired the starvation and the drive and we’ve acquired a supervisor who pushes us each day.”
