Aston Villa’s attacking lineup has undergone a significant transformation following the departure of star striker Ollie Watkins to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal. The two clubs confirmed the move on Sunday, ending the 30-year-old’s successful six-year tenure at the Midlands club, where he established himself as their all-time leading Premier League goalscorer.
While official financial terms remain private, British media outlets indicate that Al Hilal secured the England international for a fee of £51 million ($69.01 million). Watkins, who had two years remaining on his existing deal, has signed a three-year contract with the Saudi club. His exit follows a prolific campaign in which he netted 21 goals across all competitions, including five in the Europa League to help Unai Emery’s side secure a European trophy.
The transfer concludes a period of tension at Villa Park, as manager Unai Emery had previously revealed that Watkins apologized for making himself unavailable for the team’s Premier League season opener. Since joining from Brentford in 2020 for £28 million, Watkins recorded 108 goals in all competitions, including 91 in the Premier League. His departure is part of a broader exodus from the club this summer, joining the likes of Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, and Ezri Konsa in exiting the squad.
In a separate high-profile move, Villa’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has completed a transfer to Chelsea. The 33-year-old signed a three-year deal with the London club, with reports valuing the transfer at £7.5 million ($10 million). Martinez, who made over 250 appearances for Villa since arriving in 2020, expressed his commitment to his new side, stating, “I’m all passion and I play with my heart. I will give 100 per cent every game, every training session to make the club, my teammates and the supporters proud.”
For Martinez, the move marks a return to London, where he originally began his professional journey with Arsenal. His arrival at Chelsea is viewed as a strategic intervention by manager Xabi Alonso to address long-standing instability in the goalkeeping position. The current incumbent, Robert Sanchez, has faced persistent scrutiny, most recently following a 3-2 win against Fulham in their opening Premier League match on Monday. The report also notes that meanwhile, Argentina’s 2022 World Cup winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez joined Chelsea from fellow Premier League outfit Aston Villa, the London-based club announced on Sunday. The report also notes that following a series of loan spells away from the Emirates Stadium, Martinez joined Villa in 2020 and went on to make over 250 appearances.
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