Al-Hilal Submit €45M Bid for Watkins as Villa Faces Dismantling
On.cc · 1 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal have submitted a €45 million (approximately HK$410 million) formal bid for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, with the 30-year-old England international showing a willingness to leave the club . Al-Hilal are desperate to sign Watkins as a replacement for French striker Karim Benzema, whose relationship with the Saudi club has broken down and who is preparing to depart . This potential transfer comes as Villa face the prospect of losing yet another key attacking player, having already sold Morgan Rogers to Chelsea for £117 million this summer .
Key Points
- Al-Hilal have made a formal €45 million offer for Watkins, with Villa having rejected two previous approaches
- Watkins, 30, scored 16 goals and provided 3 assists in 37 Premier League appearances last season
- The England striker has two years remaining on his contract at Villa
- Al-Hilal need a quality striker after Benzema's relationship with the club deteriorated, with the Frenchman set to leave
- Villa have already sold Rogers (to Chelsea), Youri Tielemans (to Manchester United), and Lucas Digne (to PSG) this summer
Why It Matters
Watkins' potential departure would leave Villa stripped of their main attacking threat, compounding the loss of Rogers and further undermining their Premier League competitiveness . The ongoing exodus from Villa Park illustrates how Saudi clubs continue to reshape global football's transfer landscape by targeting established European talent with lucrative offers .