Aston Villa's search for a successor to Ollie Watkins has taken a costly turn, with the club reportedly closing in on Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson for an initial £47.5m plus £17.5m in add-ons. Yet, as the transfer saga unfolds, a shadow looms over Villa Park: Donyell Malen, the forward sold to Roma for £21.6m in January, has since flourished, scoring 18 goals in 21 appearances, including a hat-trick against Fiorentina on the opening weekend of the season. The question is whether Emery's decision to let Malen go was a £43.4m miscalculation.
The Watkins Departure and the Jackson Pursuit
Ollie Watkins is reportedly set to leave Aston Villa for Al-Hilal, marking the latest departure from the Europa League-winning squad that has seen unprecedented change this summer. Unai Emery, the Villa manager, has identified Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson as the long-standing target to fill the void. The pair previously worked together at Villarreal, with Jackson openly praising Emery's influence, and are now poised to reunite at Villa Park.
Watkins' importance to Emery's system was evident in his reaction to the England striker's absence against Brighton. The task of replacing him is monumental, given his record of 64 goals and 30 assists in 136 league games under Emery. However, there is a compelling argument that Emery already sold Watkins' ideal successor in Malen, who has been forced to watch from afar as he thrives in Serie A.
Malen's Villa Career: Promise and Frustration
Malen was a huge hit with Villa fans during his 12 months at the club, despite the disappointment of missing out on the Champions League squad, with January loanees Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio, and Axel Disasi taking his place. His finishing sharpness was immediately apparent, with early performances suggesting a more instinctive striker than Watkins. A flurry of goals in three consecutive league games in April 2025 raised hopes of a greater impact the following season.
Adapting to Emery's demands is notoriously difficult for new signings, but last October, Malen's promise prompted a rare system change against Burnley. The Dutchman partnered Watkins successfully, scoring both goals in a 2-1 win. Yet those moments as Villa's leading man were fleeting, and he was sold a few months later for £21.6m. In 46 appearances for the Villans, Malen scored 10 goals, averaging one every 150 minutes, but completed a full 90 minutes just once.
The Comparison: Malen vs Jackson
Emery initially deployed Malen as a right winger, but the forward struggled to win trust as an out-and-out number nine, starting ahead of Watkins in just three league matches. The third occasion saw Watkins come off the bench to score a match-winning brace at Chelsea in December. Villa's attack felt lacking on the rare occasions Malen led the line, as the team was accustomed to Watkins' all-round strengths of holding up the ball and linking play.
Emery's preference for strikers like Edinson Cavani and Carlos Bacca suggests a specific mould that Malen did not fit. Instead, Malen was arguably a delayed replacement for Moussa Diaby rather than Watkins' deputy. In contrast, Jackson, who scored 30 goals in two seasons at Chelsea despite criticism, averaged a goal every 120 minutes for Bayern Munich last season on loan as Harry Kane's understudy. FBref statistics from last season show Jackson was more clinical than Malen, with a higher shot-to-goal ratio (0.21 to 0.19) and more shots on target per 90 minutes (1.88 to 1.7), although Malen fashioned more chances (4.11 to 3.4).
The Cost of Letting Go
Emery's decision to sell Malen, who has since found what he was searching for with Roma, may have cost Villa up to £43.4m compared to the Jackson deal. Building a new frontline around Malen could have allowed Villa to refresh their game model, designing it around a striker willing to run off the shoulder of the last defender. With young Brian Madjo waiting in the wings, there would still be a place for Emery's current style.
Ultimately, Malen was not the type of forward Emery was willing to build his team around. In an alternate reality, he would still be on Villa's books and represent the perfect Watkins replacement. However, Emery remains the right man to decide who should spearhead the attack as Villa enter a new era, and the club's pursuit of Jackson signals a clear direction forward.
