Aston Villa manager Unai Emery might not want the club to make a move for Watford winger Ismaila Sarr, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Sarr linked with Villa

Villa agreed a deal to sign the Hornets attacker over the summer but ended up walking away from a move, with Sarr remaining at Vicarage Road.

The 24-year-old is currently away with Senegal at the World Cup, scoring in their 2-1 win over Ecuador on Tuesday, and he will come up against England in the last 16 next Sunday, with speculation continuing over a move to the Midlands.

Journalist Ed Aarons recently backed Villa to be tracking the player in Qatar, and Jones has now given his thoughts on the possibility of such a move.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

He was speaking to GiveMeSport regarding Villa and Sarr, saying that he isn’t sure if the winger will be wanted by Emery in 2023.

Jones said of the Villa boss in relation to Sarr: “I’m not sure that this is the style of winger he actually wants. We have to wait and see.

“But from what I’m hearing, while he does want wide midfield options, the style now might be slightly different to before he arrived.”

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The Verdict: Thuram instead?

Emery is after a new A-list forward at Villa Park, but Sarr - who former Watford team-mate Ben Foster described as a 'freak' and a 'game-winner' - may not be that man.

He is primarily a winger who can occupy a central role if needed, whereas Borussia Monchengladbach’s Marcus Thuram is a centre-forward who can play out wide.

The latter appears to be a key target for Emery, who is determined to bring the France international to Villa Park, so we could see him being prioritised over Sarr.