Watkins' departure would cut deepest - and Villa did not see it coming
Ollie Watkins has been an Aston Villa legend but it appears his time at the club is nearing a painful end amid interest from Saudi Arabia.
As Aston Villa's Premier League opener against Brighton approaches, the departure of striker Ollie Watkins has surfaced as a particularly emotionally charged issue. The 30-year-old, who has been a key figure at Villa Park for the past six years, has been training alone and has made his disapproval of his exclusion from the match clear.
Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, who have offered nearly £40 million for the striker, are not close to meeting Villa's asking price, and the transfer appears to be at an impasse. The loss of Watkins, who scored 108 goals in 278 games for the club, is expected to be one of the most challenging departures of the summer. The relationship between Emery and Watkins has been strained, with Emery's enigmatic silence in response to questions about Watkins' absence from Brighton only adding to the tension.
The departure of both Watkins and Emery's former star, Ezri Konsa, who helped Villa win the Europa League in 2021, highlights the turmoil at Villa Park.
Written by urgent.news from BBC Sport Football's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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