Douglas Luiz has developed into “one of the Premier League’s standout midfielders,” according to Jacob Tanswell of The Athletic last season, and his center-of-the-park efforts were crucial to Aston Villa’s incredible top-four finish.
Luiz, who joined Villa Park five years ago as a 21-year-old for a £15 million cost in 2019, has been a part of the team since then. Since then, he has recorded 204 appearances, 22 goals, and 24 assists.
Emery created this approach by combining skill, perseverance, and tactical know-how.
Alas, he’s on the way out. The urgency to comply with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability (PSR) rules has pushed him toward Turin, with Juventus signing the Brazil international and allowing talented duo, Enzo Barrenechea (deep midfielder) and Samuel Iling-Junior (young English winger) to head to Villa Park.
Valued at €50m (£42m) in total during the process, Luiz departs a key member of Villa’s rise, however, there’s actually another Lions star valued far higher than the 26-year-old.
What Aston Villa paid for Ollie Watkins
Dean Smith’s Aston Villa appeared to be getting stronger and moving up in the summer of 2020 after narrowly escaping relegation from England’s top division.
Wesley Moraes, who cost £22 million in 2019, had not performed up to expectations. The Brazilian only managed five goals in 21 games before rupturing his ACL. As a result, Villa acquired Brentford’s star player, Ollie Watkins, who had just finished with 26 goals in the Championship.
Watkins, who signed a club-record contract worth up to £33 million to leave the Bees, has been an incredible asset at Villa Park. He has consistently improved and given his team a reliable goal threat, but his impact goes much beyond his accurate shooting.
He’s not been too shabby since moving to the Midlands, has he? In fact, Watkins has claimed the club’s top goalscorer award in each of his four campaigns since leaving Brentford.
Four excellent seasons, but the one just concluded is undoubtedly Watkins’ best yet, having truly established himself as one of the Premier League’s leading players.
Ollie Watkins’ 23/24 season in numbers
Watkins was the centre of Emery’s offence last season, and his play in the claret was crucial to the team’s Champions League qualifying.
The 28-year-old scored an incredible 27 goals in 53 games across all competitions, and he also contributed 13 assists in the Premier League.
Moreover, he ranks among the top 3% for assists per 90, with his dynamism and many-angled weaponry making him a “nightmare to play against”, according to Leicester City’s Conor Coady.
£33m for a player untested in top-flight football always carries an element of risk to it, but Smith and Co saw something special in the versatile Englishman and made their move. It has paid off most wonderfully for the upwardly developing club.
Especially given his staggering market valuation, some £33m more than Luiz, who is also one of the glowing members of the Aston Villa squad – for the next few days, anyway.
Ollie Watkins’ market value
Watkins signed a new contract in October 2023 that extends his stay at Villa Park until the end of the 2027/28 campaign. While some high-profile suitors have been sniffing around of late, he would cost an arm and a leg to prise away from Emery’s project.
Ensconced in the early stage of a lucrative, £130k-per-week new deal and having never fired with greater surety than this past year, Watkins is deservedly one of the most marketable and expensive players in the Aston Villa squad.
Football Transfers mark him as the most lucrative player in the Villan squad, with such a number-crunching claim corroborated by GIVEMESPORT, who revealed during the 2023/24 season that the Arsenal-linked striker would only be allowed to leave for £75m-plus.
This stance is unlikely to have changed, with Watkins expected to lead the club into a new era among Europe’s elite. The security of Champions League football has made it hard to convince Emery that he should be sold. And he won’t.
Even though he was formerly considered Villa’s club-record signing, his value has increased by an astounding 127% despite his high cost four years ago, according to his £75 million price tag.
Villa has definitely struck it lucky with Watkins. Even though it would be absurd to profit from their star player this season considering persistent worries about PSR, Emery’s position appears to be clear from the fact that the idea of a sale never made it out of Villa Park.
And with good reason. Even if he is clearly superior to other well-known Villans like Luiz, he is the best and should be given the opportunity to lead the team in the Champions League in a few months.
Emery created this approach by combining skill, perseverance, and tactical know-how.
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