Watkins to Aston Villa: I Want to Join Al Hilal!

The influence of Saudi Arabian clubs in the European transfer market is making itself felt once again with great intensity. According to breaking exclusive news reported by the highly reliable British sports source The Athletic, Ollie Watkins, the most important attacking weapon of English Premier League side Aston Villa, held a meeting with the club management and officially communicated his desire to continue his career in Saudi Arabia. This unexpected decision by the star striker, who has carried his team with his outstanding performances in recent seasons, played a major role in securing a Champions League ticket, and earned his place in the England National Team, has created great surprise among Aston Villa fans and the British sports public. His request has seriously shaken the team's offensive planning.

In the details of the news, it was stated that Al Hilal, one of the powerful and wealthy teams of the Saudi Pro League, has officially stepped in for the experienced striker and submitted a formal offer of 45 million euros in the first stage. However, despite Watkins' explicit request to leave the team, it was learned that the Aston Villa management found this figure highly insufficient and rejected Al Hilal's initial offer without any hesitation. The board and technical staff of the English team want to carry out this transfer at a much higher transfer fee in line with the club's financial interests, even if they have to part ways with their most valuable player. In this transfer process, where Ollie Watkins is claimed to have received an astronomical salary offer, Al Hilal is expected to knock on Aston Villa's door again by significantly increasing its offer in the coming days. The negotiations between the two clubs are predicted to heat up further following the player's clear stance, and the transfer saga will likely conclude in the upcoming weeks.

Image: Ajansspor Source: The Athletic