Aston Villa sign Jackson and close on Mbaye as Emery clears air with departing Watkins

Jackson joins from Chelsea, PSG’s Mbaye poised to join Saudi-bound Watkins says sorry for refusing to play Unai Emery said Aston Villa were embarking on a “new chapter” as he welcomed the signing of Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Ibrahim Mbaye poised to complete a near-£100m remake of his attack. Jackson, for whom Villa have paid an initial £47.5m, is in line to make his debut at home against Arsenal on Monday and the club are finalising a move for Mbaye, who will also cost about £47m. They needed to reshape up front after accepting a £50m bid from Al-Hilal for Ollie Watkins, and are generating more funds by selling Emiliano Martínez to Chelsea for £7.5m. Continue reading...