Unai Emery prepared to axe Ollie Watkins to secure Aston Villa reunion with Chelsea star

Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins' future is uncertain after being strongly linked with a move to Manchester United and his manager Unai Emery is willing to offload the player in order to land Nicolas Jackson

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery wants to be reunited with Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson – and he’s prepared to sell star man Ollie Watkins to do it.

Emery helped nurture Jackson’s career at Villarreal before he left for Villa – nine months before Chelsea came in with a successful £32 million bid.

Now Emery is ready to test Chelsea’s resolve over the Senegal international who is also on the wanted list of Manchester United and Newcastle.

Chelsea have been holding out for an £80 million fee for the 24-year-old, who signed an eight year contract.

That would mean Villa having to cash in on England striker Watkins who is already on the radar of Manchester United and Newcastle.

Watkins, 29, is believed to want a fresh challenge and has been unsettled by the constant transfer talk throughout the summer.

In addition to Jackson, Emery has been looking at other targets including RB Leipzig’s Belgian striker Lois Openda who would come cheaper than the Chelsea star, the German club wanting around £40 million.

But Jackson is Emery’s first choice and is hoping they reduce the asking price with Chelsea having brought in Liam Delap and Joao Pedro and about to snap up RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons.

Jackson has received criticism over his goalscoring return since joining Chelsea in 2023, despite scoring 17 times in his first season and 13 in the last campaign.

He recently spoke out about his future after a reporter suggested he faced "competition" from Delap and Pedro.

"Competition? I have no competition," he told DSports TV. "We’re all here to help the club. Everyone has their role to play. I’m on a mission. It’s up to the coach to make his choices. I focus solely on my work.’

"I’m a Chelsea player. The future belongs to God. If there are any changes, you’ll know. For now, I’m focused on my preparation.’

"It’s football, there are ups and downs. Last season we won two trophies. There were difficult moments, moments of glory. Every season is like that. But the most important thing is to stay focused, to learn, and to grow in the face of adversity."