Al Hilal submits €45M bid for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins as transfer window ticks down

Al Hilal has tabled a €45 million offer for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, escalating what has been a simmering saga into a genuine transfer battle with the summer window closing in roughly two weeks. The bid lands well below Watkins’ estimated market value of approximately €60M, which means Villa are unlikely to treat it as anything close to a serious conversation starter. For a club that has been vocal about its desire to keep the 30-year-old England international, this opening salvo reads more like a negotiating tactic than a knockout punch. The state of play Watkins has reportedly already agreed personal terms with Al Hilal. That’s the part Villa won’t love hearing, because it suggests the player is at least open to the idea of relocating to the Saudi Pro League. The move would position Watkins as a potential replacement for Karim Benzema, whose departure from Al Hilal is reportedly under negotiation. It’s a telling detail: the Saudi club apparently needs to resolve one aging striker’s contract before fully committing to acquiring another forward. Watkins joined Aston Villa from Brentford back in 2020 and signed a contract extension in October 2023 that keeps him tied to th...