England international striker Ollie Watkins has completed his transfer from Aston Villa to Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal, marking another significant departure from the Birmingham-based Premier League side. The 30-year-old forward, who spent six years at Villa Park since arriving from Brentford in 2020, signed a three-year contract with the Saudi Pro League outfit in a deal valued at £51 million.
Throughout his tenure at Aston Villa, Watkins established himself as a consistent goal scorer, surpassing double figures in the goals column during every season he spent with the club. His departure was announced on Sunday, with the striker posting an emotional message on social media reflecting on his time at the club and acknowledging the difficulty of the move.
The loss of Watkins represents part of a broader squad overhaul at Villa during the current transfer window. The club has also parted ways with several other notable players, including goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who transferred to Chelsea on the same day, along with Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, and Ezri Konsa in separate moves.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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