Ollie Watkins Set for £51m Al-Hilal Move After Aston Villa Apology

Ollie Watkins is expected to complete a £51m move from Aston Villa to Al-Hilal after apologising for making himself unavailable for Villa’s match against Brighton. BBC Sport reported that the 30-year-old England forward was due in Saudi Arabia on Friday as the clubs worked to complete the transfer.

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Villa manager Unai Emery said Watkins had refused to play on Sunday but apologised after the match and acknowledged that he had made a mistake. According to Emery, both the manager and the squad accepted the apology. He also stressed that the episode did not erase Watkins’ conduct and commitment during six years at the club.

Watkins is leaving as Aston Villa’s record Premier League goalscorer. He scored 91 goals in the competition and 108 in all competitions after joining from Brentford for £28m in 2020. Emery paid an emotional farewell to the striker, describing their parting as a significant personal moment as well as the end of an important spell for Villa.

The manager framed the proposed sale as a club decision shaped by the size of the offer and Villa’s need to rebuild. He said the club did not want to become one that routinely sold players, but argued that receiving roughly £51m for a 30-year-old represented a decision Villa had to consider responsibly.

Villa have already agreed a £65m deal to sign Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson as Watkins’ replacement, BBC Sport reported. The club is attempting to register the Senegal international in time for Monday’s match against Arsenal. Emery said Jackson would begin a new chapter in the team after Watkins’ departure.

The forward-line change forms part of a wider Villa rebuild. Midfielder Leon Goretzka completed a free transfer to the club on Thursday after leaving Bayern Munich at the end of last season. Goretzka won seven Bundesliga titles and the Champions League with Bayern, and Emery said the midfielder had arrived fit, was training well and could be available against Arsenal on Monday.