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Aston Villa boss Unai Emery is determined to keep Ollie Watkins at the club this month amid offers from Arsenal but admits Jhon Duran’s potential exit is a good deal.
Both of Villa’s strikers are subject to interest in the January transfer window, with their Premier League rivals having a reported £60m bid for Watkins rejected while Duran is set to join Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr.
Just hours after news of the Gunners’ bid for Watkins broke, he scored for Villa in their 4-2 Champions League win over Celtic which booked a last-16 spot.
Duran was an unused substitute, ahead of a reported 77million euros (£64.6million) move to Al Nassr, and was seen saying goodbye to fans at the end of the match.
Emery was defiant in his stance on Watkins’ future, insisting he was “our striker” and that they would be “very demanding” with a price tag if they were to sell him.
Asked if he could say for certain Watkins would not be sold, the Spaniard said: “I don’t want (him to leave).
“It is good news to have offers from other clubs. We want to keep our sporting objective through the players we have in the squad.
“Every player can be in the market if it is good for the player and the club. To get this deal we are going to be demanding. Watkins is our striker.”
Duran was subject to a £57million bid from West Ham last week but now looks set to join Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr, just two months after signing a new deal at Villa Park.
Emery said he wanted the Colombian to stay at the club but that it represents a good deal, with the player also wanting to move on.
“Our players are interesting other clubs and as well [they are] paying good money for us,” he added.
“But of course our objective here is to keep our structure intelligently because we want to be on the sports side on the level we are and to keep it for a long time is the most difficult challenge we have.
“Of course sometimes we have to do it, maybe sell some players and as well change and try to continue improving always.
“I don’t know exactly until everything is done if Jhon Duran is leaving but if he is leaving it is good news for us because it means they are paying good money.
“Because we have developed one young player in two years to get this offer. It is not only for the club, it is the club, the players and team, those circumstances can be positive. Club, the player and the team.”
Watkins has been a key man in Villa’s rise to the top table of English football under Emery.
His 28 goals in all competitions last season helped fire Villa to Champions League football for the first time while also making the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League.
The 29-year-old has proved to be one of the top forwards in the Premier League and his assist in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with West Ham saw him go to 100 goal contributions in 169 games.
Watkins signed a new five-year contract in 2023 so Villa are under no pressure to sell.
Meanwhile, Villa midfielder Emi Buendia has joined Bayer Leverkusen on loan for the rest of the season after signing a contract extension at Villa Park.
The 28-year-old has not started a match in the Premier League for Emery’s side this season but has appeared 12 times from the bench.
