Transfer insider Dean Jones revealed to GIVEMESPORT that Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins is likely to stay at the club under Unai Emery, but only if one key request is met.
The England international has been on fire for Aston Villa this season, with his goals last season propelling the West Midlands club into the Europa Conference League. Watkins had been linked with a move away from Villa Park, but it now appears that such speculation has been put to rest, and the prolific striker will remain at the club to play a key role under Emery.
Watkins is Emery’s European Villains’ point man.
Without Watkins’ goals, where would Aston Villa be? For starters, they are most likely in the bottom half of the table and will not be competing in European competition. Last season, the former Brentford man scored 15 goals in 37 appearances for the one-time European champions, helping the club qualify for continental competition this time around.
Furthermore, Watkins’ fine form has carried over into the current season, with the 27-year-old scoring nine goals in Aston Villa’s first 17 matches this season across all competitions. With an additional five assists on top of that, it’s clear how important Watkins is to Emery’s team.
In fact, Watkins has missed just one league game under Emery since his arrival at Villa Park just over a year ago, demonstrating his dependability for both Aston Villa and Emery. As a result, Watkins was recently rewarded with a lucrative contract that places him among the top earners at the club.
The Torquay-born star is said to earn around £150,000 per week at Villa Park, providing plenty of incentive for him to stay. It came amid transfer rumours linking Watkins to a move away from Aston Villa, with Bayern Munich among the striker’s suitors, before the German giant agreed to sign England teammate Harry Kane.
Update on Dean Jones – Ollie Watkins
When asked about the impact Watkins’ new contract will have, transfer insider Jones admitted it will likely serve as a deterrent to any outside interest. However, the reliable source has hinted that this can only be the case if Aston Villa continue on their upward trajectory, competing for European positions and possibly even silverware in the future:
Watkins scored one of Aston Villa’s more important goals against AZ Alkmaar in a midweek match. Leading 1-0 heading into the final half-hour of the game at Villa Park, Diego Carlos equalised for the home team, but hopes of a winning goal were fading.
That is, until Watkins appeared with less than 10 minutes remaining to send the Villans faithful into raptures. Not only was it yet another late European triumph, having needed a 94th-minute winner to beat Zrinjski earlier in the group stage, but it also boosted Aston Villa’s chances of qualifying for the knockout phase.
Emery’s team is now in second place in their Europa Conference League group, level on points with leaders Legia Warsaw, who visit Villa Park in the next round of fixtures. Aston Villa’s progression into the knockout rounds would be confirmed if they won that game, and they could even win the group.
Aston Villa is concerned about a key first-team player.
Aston Villa’s recent resurgence has been aided by the club’s exceptional transfer operations, with Emery and co. spending nearly £90 million in the summer window working wonders. Moussa Diaby and Pau Torres have both been brought into the club and have made an immediate impact.
The same cannot be said for Youri Tielemans, whose problems in the West Midlands have plagued his start at Aston Villa. The free transfer from Leicester City started none of the club’s first 11 Premier League games, implying he has yet to earn manager Emery’s trust.
But, with the European Championships approaching and Tielemans eyeing a spot in Belgium’s starting lineup, how long will the midfielder remain on the bench? Only time will tell what will happen.
