Unai Emery wants to keep Aston Villa duo 'for the next decade'
Unai Emery has ruled out selling Jhon Duran this month and claimed he wants to keep him and Ollie Watkins together for the next decade at Villa.
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Duran’s superb first half of the season has earned him no shortage of suitors with Paris St Germain among several clubs eyeing a possible deal.
But Emery had dismissed the notion Villa are ready to cash in on the 21-year-old Colombia international, who returns to action at Everton on Wednesday night after serving a three-match ban.
Instead he sees both Duran and Watkins as part of the long-term plan and quipped the latter, who turns 30 at the end the year, could even be leading the line in his 40s.
Emery said: “Hopefully, we can be together with Ollie and Jhon here for the next 10 years - or maybe 12 - or 15. It will be fantastic.
“Now, players are extending their careers, and maybe Ollie, with his physical capacity, can play until he is 40 years old. Pepe Reina, he was at Aston Villa, yes? He’s 42 and playing in Italy.