Ollie Watkins Nears €60 Million Al Hilal Transfer as Aston Villa Overhauls Squad

Ollie Watkins is expected to arrive in Riyadh on Friday evening ahead of his high-profile move to Al Hilal, following reports that the Saudi Pro League giants have agreed a fee worth more than €60 million for the England striker. At 30 years old, Watkins is set to undergo a medical over the weekend and could feature in the upcoming match against Al Ahli Saudi.

His departure marks another significant change for Aston Villa, who are closing in on a deal to sign Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson for just under €76 million as a replacement. Meanwhile, Villa has also agreed to send goalkeeper Emi Martinez to Chelsea for £7.5 million, and secured the signing of midfielder Leon Goretzka on a free transfer from Bayern Munich.

Villa's summer window has seen massive turnover following their fourth-place Premier League finish and Europa League triumph. Key departures include Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, Ezri Konsa, and Lucas Digne, leaving manager Unai Emery to navigate a challenging start to the new campaign.