Unai Emery ideally wanted Nicolas Jackson and Ollie Watkins together at Aston Villa before the England striker’s move to Al-Hilal changed the plan, according to The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell.
Jackson has now completed his club-record move from Chelsea, with much of the coverage surrounding the deal presenting the Senegal international as Watkins’ direct replacement.
That is ultimately the role Jackson will now have to fulfil, but Villa’s original thinking appears to have been considerably more ambitious.
Speaking on the 1874 Podcast, Tanswell said Jackson had always been Emery’s leading striker target and revealed the Villa head coach would ideally have kept Watkins as well.
Unai Emery wanted Jackson and Watkins together
Tanswell described Jackson as “always the number one target” for Emery.
More significantly, when asked whether Villa could ever have signed Jackson without selling Watkins, he said:
“I think ideally he wanted them together.”
Tanswell suggested a permanent Tammy Abraham departure could potentially have helped make that structure possible, while Jackson’s ability to operate from the left would have allowed Emery to use both forwards in the same side.
That changes the context surrounding Jackson’s arrival.
Sky Sports had reported earlier in the window that Villa were expected to move for Jackson if Watkins departed and has subsequently described the former Chelsea striker as Watkins’ replacement.
Tanswell’s information suggests Emery’s interest existed independently of the Al-Hilal negotiations.
Watkins exit changed Aston Villa’s attacking plan
Watkins’ decision to leave ultimately removed the possibility of the two strikers operating together.
The England international is completing a £50million move to Al-Hilal after six seasons at Villa Park, while Jackson now inherits significantly greater responsibility at the heart of Emery’s attack.
Villa had been dealing with the Watkins situation throughout the closing stages of the window, with the wider transfer timeline previously covered in our piece on the 41-day Saudi transfer window and Watkins’ Aston Villa future.
Jackson’s versatility helps explain why Emery was apparently comfortable with the idea of having both.
The 25-year-old developed from a wide attacker into a centre-forward during his time under Emery at Villarreal. Tanswell says the pair have remained in contact since working together in Spain, with the manager retaining a particularly strong belief in Jackson’s ability.
That relationship is now central to Villa’s next attacking phase.
Nicolas Jackson now becomes Aston Villa’s main striker
The circumstances have changed, but Emery has still landed the forward he wanted most.
Villa officially completed Jackson’s £65m move from Chelsea on Friday, with the striker available for Monday’s Premier League meeting with Arsenal. Sky Sports reports the guaranteed fee is £47.5m, with the package capable of reaching £65m.
Instead of competing with Watkins or playing alongside him, Jackson now has to replace the goals, movement and pressing Villa received from their former striker.
Emery has already transformed Jackson once during their time together at Villarreal.
Villa are now banking on him doing it again at a considerably higher level.
