Aston Villa expect another bid from Al Hilal for Ollie Watkins

Offer of almost £40m rejected for England striker Watkins has two years left on his contract Aston Villa are braced for another bid from Al Hilal for Ollie Watkins, after rejecting an offer worth almost £40m for the striker.

Al Hilal are pursuing a move for Villa’s all-time Premier League goalscorer, who has reached double figures in the top flight in his six seasons at the club after joining from Brentford.

If Villa sell Watkins, who has two years remaining on his contract, they would seek to replace the 30-year-old England striker and Unai Emery is a big admirer of Nicolas Jackson, but Chelsea’s valuation of £65m is thought to be prohibitive to any deal.

There is an acceptance at Villa that any marquee arrival before the close of the window would probably have to follow another major sale, owing to Premier League’s financial regulations.

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