The clubs had agreed an upfront fee of £39million ($52.8m) along with a further £5m in harder to achieve add-ons for the central midfielder.

Phil: Disappointed with Villa. They were sluggish in midfield, poor passing and not sure Watkins' heart is in it. The most obvious thing that summed up Saturday's game was the free-kick Tielemans put in - a superb cross and not one player went for the ball and then it went out for throw in to Newcastle.

Unai Emery and Villa have been hamstring by the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR), and have enjoyed a quiet window so far after their hectic winter. Things surely would’ve played out differently had they usurped Newcastle in the table on the final day.