Ollie Watkins and Emi Martinez were absent from Aston Villa’s matchday squad named to face Brighton in their Premier League opener amid rumours of an imminent exit for both.
Villa frontman Watkins is wanted by Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal, and his omission from the travelling squad to the south coast will only heighten speculation.
Goalkeeper Martinez has also been heavily linked with a departure from Villa Park, as he was last summer, but misses out on the squad due to a lack of match fitness following a recent return from his post-World Cup break.
Manager Unai Emery says he wants to keep Watkins but has already confirmed that bids have been made for the England international.
“We have an issue with him, it’s clear. He is our player. We have had offers for him,” said Emery.
“I don’t want to sell him but it can change because if it’s a good option for him and the club and I can replace him in the squad, this is the routine we have and we did before with the players who are leaving.
“With Ollie, he is here, for me he is a fantastic striker, we have always believed in him.
“Now he is our player, there are 10 days more or less to finish the transfer window, we will see what happens, I’m happy with him, if he is staying with us he will continue playing his level.
“If he leaving it’s because it is good for three ways, one is him, another is the club and another is the team.”
Martinez, meanwhile, was on the verge of joining Juventus before a move collapsed over a failure to agree a fee between clubs.
Villa seem to have made plans in the event of the Argentinian’s exit, signing Japan international Zion Suzuki from Parma for £30m, who was also a target of Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain.
Suzuki starts on the bench against Brighton, however, with last season’s back-up stopper Marco Bizot in between the sticks at the Amex Stadium.
On the situation concerning Martinez, Emery added: “We have two excellent goalkeepers, of course we signed Suzuki not for the future but for now. He showed his capacity to get his performance to our level. He will need to adapt to us but he is playing at this level.
“Martinez transmitted to us the possibility to have another challenge in his career.
“Even last year, he was thinking in case he can have one possibility to change for his challenges.
“He didn’t do it last year and he performed fantastic with us. This year, again, he transmitted us the possibility to have another challenge and we decided to sign Suzuki because I think he’s a fantastic goalkeeper.”
Villa have already sold four of the starting XI that won the Europa League two months ago. Ezri Konsa became the latest to leave in a £51m move to champions Arsenal, following Morgan Rogers’ record £117m Chelsea switch, along with the departures of Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne.
