Aston Villa fans have turned on striker Ollie Watkins after manager Unai Emery hinted the forward had refused to play amid speculation linking him with a move to Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal.
Watkins, 30, was left out of Villa's squad for their 4-0 defeat by Brighton on Sunday, their first Premier League game of the season, despite the club's only other recognised forwards, Brian Madjo and Tammy Abraham, being out injured.
Villa have rejected four offers from Al-Hilal for Watkins, with the latest thought to be worth around £34million, a price the Premier League club are not willing to accept. As far as Villa are concerned, Watkins is neither ill nor injured, though he is not thought to have trained fully last week.
Asked about Watkins' situation after the game, Emery said: "This question is for him. I can answer only with my silence." Pressed on whether Watkins was refusing to play, he added: "I think you can call him, you can call his agent and he can respond. He can only explain his answer, I can't. We had two strikers injured and another striker, it's his answer."
Fans react on social media
Following Emery's comments, several Villa supporters criticised Watkins on social media. Commenting on photos of him with his wife Ellie on her Instagram account, one fan wrote: "Ellie please don't let Ollie leave please." Another added: "Tell Ollie to not leave," while a further fan wrote: "The kids are better in England. Please don't go."
On a post showing Watkins' family holiday in the Bahamas, several supporters left multiple snake emojis. One wrote: "Congrats on selling your soul Ollie," while another said: "Respect totally gone." A further fan asked: "Saudi? Why bro?"
A chastening afternoon against Brighton
The fan backlash followed one of Villa's worst performances under Emery, with a new-look side torn apart by Brighton. Joao Gomes was sent off on his Premier League debut for the club as Brighton went 4-0 up inside just over half an hour.
Watkins has established himself as one of Villa's most important attacking players in recent seasons and was part of the squad that beat Freiburg 3-0 in May to win the Europa League. Al-Hilal compete in the Saudi Pro League, which has attracted a string of high-profile signings from Europe in recent years.
A summer of departures
Largely because of UEFA's financial rules, Villa have sold around £250million worth of talent this summer. Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, Lucas Digne and Ezri Konsa have all left the club, and Watkins and goalkeeper Emi Martinez, another absentee on Sunday, could follow. All six were mainstays of the side that lifted the Europa League in May.
Villa have often struggled during the transfer window under Emery, who joked after the Brighton defeat: "I think the transfer window should always be closed. In the last three years, until the transfer window closes, we have had problems like we are having now. The players have the mentality I want, not complaining, not blaming, and trying to be patient, even with results like today. We have had this problem with the window every season and we overcame it. But it's something hard for us every year."
