Aston Villa have accepted a £50m bid from Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal for England striker Ollie Watkins, according to reports. The 30-year-old is now expected to hold talks with the Riyadh-based club over personal terms, with a move likely to be completed before the Saudi transfer window closes on Monday.
Villa's Stance and Replacement Plans
Villa had initially been reluctant to sell Watkins, who has been a key player under Unai Emery, but the player's desire to explore a new challenge and the size of the offer have changed the club's position. The fee would represent a significant profit on the £33m Villa paid Brentford for Watkins in 2020.
The club are already lining up replacements, with reports suggesting they have identified a number of strikers in Europe and South America. Villa are also expected to reinvest the funds to strengthen other areas of the squad before the Premier League transfer window closes on Friday.
Watkins' Career and Impact
Watkins has scored 78 goals in 190 appearances for Villa since joining, helping the club qualify for the Champions League last season. He was also part of England's squad at Euro 2024 and has 12 goals in 35 caps for his country.
If the move goes through, Watkins would join a growing list of high-profile players to move to the Saudi Pro League in recent years, following the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. The transfer would also be one of the biggest deals of the summer window involving an English club.
