{
  "id": 3996359,
  "title": "Watkins apologised to Villa squad before exit",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/watkins-apologised-to-villa-squad-before-exit-3996359",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-28T17:16:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch",
    "slug": "punch",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/watkins-apologised-to-villa-squad-before-exit/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins has apologized to his team for missing a Premier League match against Brighton. The 30-year-old is set to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal in a £51m deal, concluding his five-year tenure at Villa Park. Manager Unai Emery revealed Watkins acknowledged his mistake after Brighton, and both the manager and the squad accepted his apology. Watkins holds the record for the most Premier League goals at Villa, scoring 91 league goals since his £28m move from Brentford in 2020. Emery praised Watkins' commitment and behavior during his time at the club, describing him as \"a fantastic guy.\" Villa will sign Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea for £65m to replace Watkins for the upcoming match against Arsenal.",
  "summary": "Ollie Watkins apologised to his Aston Villa teammates for making himself unavailable before his £51m move to Al-Hilal, manager Unai Emery reveals. Read More: https://punchng.com/watkins-apologised-to-villa-squad-before-exit/",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "Watkins apologised to Villa squad before exit",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/watkins-apologised-to-villa-squad-before-exit",
        "published": "2026-08-28T16:34:16.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}