Unai Emery wants to keep Aston Villa duo 'for the next decade'

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.

“I’m happy with both strikers, and it’s a privilege for me to train them. 

“Every Aston Villa supporter should be proud of how we can have strikers like Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran.

“One is the reality, and performing always very good, and progressively getting better - that’s Ollie. 

“And the other is Jhon who is 21 and we can exploit his potential here. Of course, I don’t know if we are going to keep them here for a long time but hopefully we will.”

Duran, top scorer in all competitions with 12 goals, served a three-match suspension after being sent-off for what referee Anthony Taylor deemed a deliberate stamp on Newcastle defender Fabian Schar during Villa’s 3-0 defeat on Boxing Day.

Villa saw an appeal against the decision rejected but while Emery still believes his player was harshly treated, he revealed he had spoken to Duran about the need to be smarter when it comes to building a relationship with officials.

He explained: “Maybe it is not the reputation. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe it is because he is young. 

“Maybe it is because when an experienced player who has been playing for a long time in the Premier League, the referee does not have the same eyes for those players. 

“Of course, we spoke about it and watched some clips about how the referee decided in that moment.

“I felt the same when we finished the match and had not watched the clips, the VAR is to be used clearly (in moments) like that.

“Now I am speaking with Jhon Duran individually to try and correct small things, to try and always be in the right way focused to play and don’t be disturbing with the referee or the action like that.”

Villa head to Goodison Park looking to end a run of five straight Premier League defeats, at a ground they have not been beaten since winning promotion back to the top flight. They have not conceded a goal on their last three visits.