Ollie Watkins completes move from Aston Villa to Al-Hilal
Quick summary
Ollie Watkins has completed his transfer from Aston Villa to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceEngland forward’s exit continues busy summer for Villa
News follows Emiliano Martínez moving to Chelsea
The England forward Ollie Watkins has joined the list of high-profile departures from Aston Villa after completing a move to the Saudi Arabian team Al-Hilal for a reported £50m.
The 30-year-old has been at Villa since joining from Brentford in 2020 and reached double figures in goals every season he was at the club.
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What happened
Aston Villa's main striker Ollie Watkins has finalized a move to Al-Hilal of the Saudi Pro League. The transfer was confirmed in a transfer roundup, marking the end of Watkins' tenure at Villa Park. The move is part of the continued trend of top Premier League forwards making the switch to Saudi Arabia. Al-Hilal add a proven Premier League goalscorer to their squad, while Villa will need to identify a replacement for their attacking line.
Chance analysis
Ollie Watkins was Aston Villa's focal point up front and a key figure in their recent Premier League campaigns, so his departure to Al-Hilal represents a significant attacking shift for Unai Emery's side. For Al-Hilal, the signing strengthens an already ambitious project in the Saudi Pro League and adds a proven, high-volume English-top-flight goalscorer to their forward line. The move underscores how Saudi clubs continue to prize established Premier League strikers even as the initial wave of marquee signings has slowed.
Aston Villa lose their primary centre-forward and face a transitional period in attack, while Al-Hilal significantly strengthen their forward line with a proven Premier League striker.