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

Chelsea’s Jackson and 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 prepared to welcome Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson and Paris Saint-Germain’s Ibrahim Mbaye in a near £100m remake of his forward line. Jackson, for whom Villa have paid an initial £47.5m, is in line to make his debut at home to 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 bringing in further funds by selling Emiliano Martínez to Chelsea for £7.5m. Continue reading...