How Aston Villa could replace Ollie Watkins if he joins Al-Hilal

Aston Villa’s chances of being a success throughout the 2026/27 campaign massively hinge on numerous pieces of business before the transfer window closes.

Unai Emery has lost key players such as Morgan Rogers and Youri Tielemans, but equally, he’s overseen some impressive signings over recent months.

Matteo Ruggeri and Zion Suzuki both arrived in the West Midlands on Wednesday morning, with both players massively improving the options within the defensive third.

However, despite the aforementioned arrivals, other departures could make way for further additions – which has seen one player move closer to the exit door in recent days.

Why Aston Villa should agree to sell Watkins this summer

Over the last couple of days, Aston Villa are said to have rejected an offer of £38m from Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal for the services of talisman Ollie Watkins.

Despite the initial bid being rejected, the player himself is said to have agreed terms with Simeone Inzaghi’s side, with talks set to continue over the coming days.

On the face of it, no Villa fan will want the England international to depart, especially after he netted 21 goals across all competitions last term and helped the club claim European glory.

However, given the sustained interest and the player’s desire to move to Saudi, the hierarchy should make the brave call and allow the 30-year-old to depart the Villans.

Watkins will be 31 in December and only has two years left on his remaining deal in the West Midlands, with this summer the last big chance to capitalise on his excellent form.

There’s no denying the fee will need to be raised to prise him away from Emery’s men, but the club could recoup an excellent fee for a player entering the back end of his professional career.

There may only be two weeks left in the summer window, but such funds could be put to excellent use to land the next talisman to lead the club into the next era.

How Aston Villa can replace Ollie Watkins this summer

With such a short period remaining in the summer window, the Villa hierarchy will have to work tirelessly to secure another talisman to lead Emery’s forward line.

A handful of potential attacking talents have been linked with a move during the ongoing window, but no deal has yet been agreed to replace fan-favourite Watkins.

However, that could all be about to change, with Chelsea attacker Nicolas Jackson a player who has once again appeared on the Villans’ transfer shortlist.

TEAMtalk have provided the latest on a potential move, claiming that Chelsea have set an asking price of £65m for the player but Villa are ready to head to the negotiating table to lower that fee.

Jackson would prefer to remain in the Premier League and thus, has made it known he is keen to head to Villa Park before the window slams shut.

It’s unclear how much a deal for the Senegalese international could cost before the end of the window, but it could prove to be a superb addition for the Villans.

He’s showcased in recent seasons that he’s more than capable of delivering in the Premier League, with his stats from his time at Stamford Bridge highlighting his talent within attacking areas.

The Senegalese international netted 30 times in 81 appearances for Chelsea – a superb return which saw him find the net in every 2.7 games he featured in.

Jackson registered 1.4 shots on target per 90 throughout 2024/25, whilst achieving a 46% accuracy rate – with both tallies ranking him in the top 15% of players in the division.

The aforementioned figure was higher than that of Watkins during the same campaign, subsequently highlighting his ability to provide the quality needed within Emery’s senior ranks.

Jackson’s tally of 6.2 touches in the opposition box per 90 showcases his fox-in-the-box nature – something which will no doubt be lacking if the Englishman does move to Saudi.

Despite starting just 12 league games during his recent loan spell at Bayern Munich, he managed to net eight times – reaffirming his clinical nature and backing Filipe Luis’ claim that he’s “one of the best strikers in the world.”

It’s unclear how much his services will cost in the weeks ahead, but a deal could well depend on the future of Watkins and how quickly his potential exit transpires.

His experience in England’s top-flight could prove to be vital in any effort to replace the Englishman, with Jackson a player who can certainly fill any void left by the fan-favourite.