Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins is nearing a £52 million transfer to Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal after making himself unavailable for selection last weekend.
Neither Aston Villa nor the management team representing Watkins have disputed that the 30-year-old forward went on strike to force the proposed move to the Saudi Pro League.
Villa did not want Watkins to leave and felt no commercial imperative to sell him. However, the England international has considered potential opportunities in Saudi Arabia for the past 18 months following his participation in the World Cup.
The departure of Watkins marks the latest high-profile exit from Villa Park during a turbulent transfer window that has seen the systematic dismantling of manager Unai Emery's squad.
Four key starters from Villa's Europa League final victory against German side Freiburg three months ago have already left the club: Morgan Rogers, Ezri Konsa, Youri Tielemans, and Lucas Digne.
With goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez also expected to depart alongside Watkins, six of the 11 players who started the European final in May will have left before the transfer window closes.
Squad Dismantling and Rebuild
The rapid turnover of key players has transformed Villa from an evolving European project into a team undergoing a substantial rebuild. Such a rebuilding process requires time that a 30-year-old striker in his prime may be reluctant to commit.
Villa's extensive player sales have been largely driven by the necessity to comply with financial regulations. Profit and sustainability rules enforced by both the Premier League and UEFA require the club to raise revenue through player sales before making new signings.
The financial pressure follows years of heavy wage spending by Villa. Early last year, an executive at a rival Premier League club contrasted Tottenham Hotspur's wage frugality with Villa's high spending, warning that Villa were approaching a dangerous financial cliff edge.
Financial data underlines the scale of Villa's wage expenditure in recent seasons. According to the 2025 Deloitte Football Money League, Villa generated the 18th highest revenue in world football but spent 94 per cent of their turnover on player wages in two of the preceding three seasons.
The 2026 Deloitte report showed Villa's wage-to-turnover ratio decreased to 72 per cent. However, this level remained the joint-highest in the Premier League alongside Chelsea, while Liverpool stood at 60 per cent, Manchester City at 57 per cent, Manchester United at 51 per cent, and Arsenal at 49 per cent.
Managerial Control and Transfer Strategy
Villa's transfer strategy has been heavily shaped by Emery, who has delivered strong results on the pitch, including a European trophy and top-four domestic finishes. Despite his success as a coach, Emery's record in transfer operations is considered average.
Emery possesses broader authority over transfer decisions than almost any other manager in the Premier League, with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta being the only peer with comparable control. Emery's choices have directly contributed to Villa repeatedly replacing large portions of their playing staff.
Watkins' career trajectory to the top of English football began in lower-league football. Between 2016 and 2017, he was a young academy player at League Two club Exeter City under the management of Paul Tisdale.
As the son of a professional soul ballad singer, Watkins possessed exceptional speed and an exemplary work ethic, but initially struggled with tactical systems and structured roles on the pitch.
Tisdale provided patience and guidance, regularly telling Watkins to focus on two principles: "Less is more" and "make yourself selectable".
Career Development at Exeter City
Watkins' development at Exeter ultimately yielded significant financial returns for the Devon club. His initial transfer to Brentford, followed by sell-on clauses activated when he joined Villa, generated sufficient funds for Exeter to replace their wooden training ground buildings with modern concrete facilities.
Watkins subsequently progressed to international level under former England manager Gareth Southgate. His notable moments for the national team included scoring a last-minute winning goal in the semi-final of Euro 2024.
His impending transfer to Al Hilal concludes a long-standing period of speculation, with the striker having considered a potential move to Saudi Arabia for the past 18 months.
