How Aston Villa could land a Watkins & Duran hybrid before the deadline

This summer’s transfer window has once again highlighted everything that is wrong with the Premier League – as Aston Villa are just one club impacted by the farcical rules.

Despite securing Europa League glory and finishing fourth in England’s top-flight, Unai Emery’s men have once again had to offload key players before being able to reinvest in the squad.

However, Tottenham Hotspur, who finished 17th last term, have been able to invest upwards of £300m in the transfer market whilst avoiding selling any of their most influential squad members.

The likes of Youri Tielemans, Morgan Rogers and Ezri Konsa have all moved on to pastures new in recent times, but it could be about to get even worse for the Villans in the days ahead.

Why Aston Villa can’t afford to lose Ollie Watkins

Ollie Watkins is a player who has surpassed all expectations during his time at Villa Park, after joining the club from Brentford for £30m back in the summer of 2020.

The 30-year-old has cemented his place as the Villans’ number one centre-forward option during such a period – netting 108 times within his 280 appearances for the club.

At one stage, Jhon Duran looked as though he could challenge the Englishman for the starting role, but his £71m move to join Al Nassr in January 2025 ended any fears felt by the Englishman.

Watkins has netted 65 goals across all competitions throughout the last three seasons, with a lot of Emery’s success being down to the impact of the striker in front of goal.

However, he’s been touted with a £45m move to join Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal before the closure of the window, which could see the Spaniard lose yet another crucial first-team member.

At 30, it could be the last opportunity to recoup a respectable fee for the talisman, but his goals are invaluable to the current squad and make him simply irreplaceable.

His desire to pursue a move to the Saudi club could prove an issue for Emery’s men, which could see the hierarchy have to reluctantly cash in on the fan-favourite.

How Villa can land a Watkins & Duran hybrid this summer

Had Villa kept hold of Duran 18 months ago, the departure of Watkins would not have been as big of a blow – but unfortunately for Emery, the financial issues played a part in the Colombian’s departure.

Tammy Abraham and Brian Madjo are the other attacking options on the books at Villa Park, with the latter touted with a move whilst away and the latter needing time to adapt to the demands of the Premier League.

REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth

As a result, the hierarchy have started to line up various options within the transfer market, leading to Chelsea star Nicolas Jackson once again being linked with a reunion with Emery.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has provided the latest on the deal, stating: “Don’t forget about the Ollie Watkins and Nico Jackson story – they are working on it.

“Aston Villa are pushing to get Nico Jackson if Watkins goes to Al Hilal – and that’s an advanced conversation.” Previous reports have indicated it may take as much as £65m to get a deal done.

Emery has previously worked with the Senegalese international during his time as Villarreal manager, with the links to sign the current Blues attacker hardly a surprise.

It’s one which has left supporters uninspired, but the 25-year-old could prove to be a superb addition for the Villans – and one which could see a hybrid of Watkins and Duran arrive in the West Midlands.

Jackson likes to operate on the shoulder of the last defender and often makes countless penetrating runs in behind – which could offer the senior side a new dimension to the forward line.

Duran showcased glimpses of such a quality during his own time at Villa Park, with his goal against Manchester City highlighting his ability to get in behind and finish expertly.

The Chelsea star has also gained a reputation for being an impressive finisher during his time in England, as seen by his tally of 30 goals in just 81 – leading to Kalidou Koulibaly dubbing him “world-class.”

Such a figure was just 14 shy of Watkins’ between 2023 and 2025, but he did feature in over 20 fewer games than the current Villa talisman.

He even missed fewer big chances than the Englishman during the aforementioned period – which could see the Villans actually land a more clinical option.

It’s unclear how much a deal for Jackson would cost at present, but it’s clear Emery believes he’s a perfect option to improve the club’s frontline this summer.

Watkins’ potential departure would be a bitter blow for the West Midlands outfit, but the supporters should have full faith in the manager and the staff behind the scenes to land the perfect replacement.