“The offer was difficult to reject because it was one of many numbers. We valued all the pros and cons and decided to accept. If someone wants to leave, you can't compete. In the case of Duran, his salary has increased five-fold.

“The first thing we are going to do with the money we receive from the sale of Duran is to keep a portion of it because of the Fair Play rules, which are very demanding. A significant part of the income will go towards that.”

Monchi



"I can be disappointed a little bit.”

My thoughts always his improvement here can give him the opportunity to play as well. Maybe in Europe with some of the best teams in the world.

"But Saudi Arabia, they are improving a lot. They are paying well. They are increasing the level of the league. I accept some players leave for there. Personally, I worked with him, trying to involve him here. Each player is different, different culture, different education.

"It’s difficult to get the same feeling from different players. I accept it. I can be disappointed myself. I have challenges with the players who are here with us. Hopefully, in two or three days’ time we can enjoy two or three more players with us.

“It helps a lot but the decision [to leave] was more for him [Duran]. He decided he preferred to leave. Of course we tried to work with him for two years here, trying to get the best from him, working hard every day with him.

"Our commitment was high commitment to work and to try to improve and he did it, but at this moment he decided to change his way and at the end we accepted because the deal was good.

"We keep going of course. We have to be intelligent always, trying to get the best decision by being intelligent. We can’t only think of ourselves, but also the players, who have the last decision. We have to accept some things or try to refuse some things as well but in this case it was a good deal for everyone.

"We must think about what is best for him, the club and team. The important player, mature player and honest player usually accept that. For example, Jacob Ramsey, Morgan Rogers, Watkins, their commitment is a huge commitment to Aston Villa."

Unai Emery on Jhon Duran



“The commitment of Watkins with us is a huge commitment to defend Aston Villa. He appreciates a lot how Villa were always supporting and helping him.

"Now we need him.

"I speak with him a lot. He is always adapting to every circumstance we have in the squad and with him individually. When teams are interested in our players, of course it is very good for us and very good for the players.

“Some prefer to leave and some players accept to stay here, to be here and commit with us here and to be with our challenge. One of those is Ollie Watkins.

"Of course we are changing the squad because we need to improve at everything – individually and collectively. We will miss some players in the squad because we did not change Diego Carlos or [Emi] Buendia. We have the last player leaving - it's not official - but it's Jhon Duran. The players we have are trying and showing their commitment.

"Every professional has our own ambitions in our career, but there are also moments like this in our career.

“We have been successful in our two years here but the ambition of the club continues and we want an even better future.

"We have to be good professionals, honest and respectful of the club. Of course some players can leave and improve, but you have to identify when is the moment to do it. And now the moment was not right for Watkins, who extended his contract one year ago, on improved terms.

"He is achieving his objectives here, like getting in the national team. He is proud of how he is improving and we are proud of how we are improving. We must think about what is best for him, best for the club, best for the team.

"The important player, and mature player and honest player usually accept that. For example, Jacob Ramsey, Morgan Rogers, Watkins, their commitment here is a huge commitment to Aston Villa.

"We have to try to get the best out of them, so that collectively we can reach our targets. Maybe they can leave at some point in their career. But for now, in this moment, the best place for them is here."

Unai Emery on Ollie Watkins.



"Today has been complex, because we've been in the middle of celebrating Wednesday, but also with the market there is a lot of movement and we are trying to shore up the squad in what remains of the market.

"I hope [Friday] the documents can be signed, but yes - Jhon Duran is an important sale of a very good player, a player perhaps unknown in Spain, but he is a player with tremendous potential. What is true is that the offer was a difficult one to reject because it was one of many numbers. We valued all the pros and cons and in the end we decided to accept.

"If someone wants to leave, you can't compete. Not even the English can compete, not only transfer level but above all salary level. In the case of Jhon Duran, his salary has increased five-fold - and it was already an important salary at Aston Villa because we renewed his contract three months ago and we put him at a slightly higher level.

"Let's see with the names we're considering.

"It attracts a little attention depending on what he wants from the profile that he's looking for. They are two similar players who move in a similar area of the field and they're to Unai's liking. Marco Asensio, Aston Villa tried to sign him two summers ago. In the end he decided to go to PSG.

"I think with Felix we've tried to bring him in practically every market. In the end he decided to go to Chelsea, in the exchange with Conor Gallagher and Atletico Madrid. He's always been a target for us. Neither of them are easy because of the salary level and the cost level. It's not easy but it's true and I cannot deny that they are players who are attractive.

"If there is a coach in European or even world football who is characterised by recovering players and getting the most out of them, it's Unai Emery. At Valencia, Sevilla, Villarreal, even here at Aston Villa, he has been able to recover talent. If the footballer has talent, and in the case of Joao Felix he does, it's a case of finding a suitable environment to get the best version of the player."

Monchi.


"Hopefully in two or three days we can join two or three players with us.

"I am going to be very motivated to get collectively here our objective. It is not normal, at the moment, what we are doing in this transfer window. But there are different circumstances we have to accept.

"There are still a few days until we close the transfer window and the club is working and we have to do something fast. I am very happy how the players are responding. We played some matches where players were close to leaving and we were responding and getting the performance we needed. I am proud of them.

"It is going to be difficult joining more players with us in the next days. But we are being a very good team competing in different competitions with the players we have had. I am happy, for example, how Lamare Bogarde is responding and progressing. When we are missing players it is an opportunity for others, like him.

"In case we are keeping the same squad and not adding players I will be confident we can compete in the Premier League and Champions League. But of course we are trying to add better, add more options to play with capacity and skill they can add.

"The club is working, identifying if we can sign a striker to help us. But it is not a priority. We have some players who can play as a striker, not like Watkins but in a different task. Morgan Rogers, for example, played there before.

"Donyell Malen played there before. I don’t want to sign a player unless it is really clear they can help us and improve us in the level we have. It is not easy now, to sign a player like that. We are analysing and identifying players in the attacking third, with the players we can add.

"But always, trying to sign players who improve our skill in the squad. That is the priority we have. To sign a player, maybe a striker or maybe a versatile player but improving on the players we have in the squad. It is not signing for signing."

Unai Emery on the transfer window.



We just weren't good enough today. Simple as that. Second half we performed better but we didn't have enough. We can make excuses about being fatigued but if we want to play Champions League we have to be prepared to play this much.

"This season, away from home, we have conceded early quite a lot and it is something we have to work on. Second half was better but it wasn't enough. We put pressure on but I don't think we troubled their back four or goalkeeper enough. We have to improve and we have to do it now.

"I thought it was a normal goal. It is gone now and nothing we can do.

"I think we have to stop conceding goals. I feel like we are conceding every game and me, being in the back line, I have to go back and look on it and change it."

Ezri Konsa post match



"We tried. We started very well in the first 15 minutes but when they scored the goal it was more difficult to come back. We had more chances to score the second goal and in the second half we tried to push. We competed better but we had two chances to score and maybe if we score it is different. Over 90 minutes, we deserved more.

"It is VAR's task. They watched it and told me. It was not offside because he did not touch the ball. But it is VAR's task. Even sometimes I think they are making mistakes."

We tried to give fresh legs and tactically tried to change things (in the second half). Watkins had a small pain and hopefully it is not a big injury he has. I needed to introduce some fresh legs and something tactically with Leon Bailey getting wider.

"We had two chances from Malen that the goalkeeper saved really well and then the goal VAR refused. We controlled it better and the last one they scored the goal but in the second half we didn't conceded many chances.

"We are speaking about our ambition and increasing our levels and then when we are not getting it, the frustration we have. We are still building a team. We got Champions League this year and are competing well but to build a team to be competitive in the high demands, we need more time.

"I was frustrated. Still work to do. The frustration is with the ambition we have.

"We are not Manchester City - the teams strong in everything. We are increasing our level, our demand but we don't have the power they have. We have to do it intelligently. To get Europe two years in a row and be in the last 16 this year is fantastic. To be consistent in the Premier League has been more difficult for us.

"We competed today at the beginning, trying to get this challenge. First half was really bad. We started well but didn't control the game.

"We needed it [changes]. Fresh legs. Tactical change with Bailey going wide. Second half we were better. We created two or three chances to score.

"We need some players. We need to replace some players who left. Tomorrow and Monday are the last two days. I think we'll get some players to help us because we're in the Champions League last 16. We have to try to get points in the Premier League to be top eight, seven, six, five."

Unai Emery post match.



"We know this kind of team [Villa] will come strong and try everything. We organised the block. A clean sheet for us. For everyone we are happy.

"I understand that Villa had their game three days ago and the intensity of this team is really good and they play with high quality and when they come, I know that maybe they will be a little tired. In the end they had a pace on the game and intensity and were difficult to beat.”

Vitor Pereira, Wolves manager