- Ollie Watkins’ future at Aston Villa may come into question this summer
- The clubs will need to sell players to comply with financial rules
- Former Villa scout Mick Brown believes Unai Emery will still “keep hold of him”
This summer is likely to be very busy for Aston Villa. Selling players to comply with financial rules will need to happen, and Ollie Watkins could be one they consider. Securing Champions League football will alleviate some pressure, but it will not completely rule out sales.
Watkins has recently turned a corner with his form, having struggled for the majority of the season. In his last five games, he has scored six goals and has put Villa in a very strong position to qualify for Europe’s elite competition and in their fight for silverware in the Europa League.
The 30-year-old has been astronomical under Unai Emery, becoming one of the most dangerous strikers in the Premier League. Last week, he reached 100 goals for the club, showing the significant impact he has had over the six seasons he’s been at Villa Park
Despite this, however, Villa are approaching a crossroads. Their squad is ageing, and the same core group of players has remained in claret and blue for the large part of the previous campaigns. Not only that, but the financial rules continue to restrict their ability to spend freely.
The need to refresh their team is growing, and this summer could be the one they use to rebuild. Given his age, and slightly inconsistent performances, Watkins could be one player they look to replace with a younger and cheaper alternative.
Mick Brown’s view
Mick Brown, who was a scout for Villa until May 2021, spoke to Football Insider to discuss Watkins’ future in the Midlands.
“Ollie Watkins is always going to be this type of player. Every time he has a bad patch in front of goal, people start questioning whether Villa could let him go and who they could get to come in and replace him.
“But then, just like he is at the moment, he’ll have a spell where he can’t stop scoring, and you see why he has been so important to them.
“Emery knows that; he knows what Watkins can do and how big an impact he can have when he’s at it, and that’s why he’s been prepared to stick by him. I can’t imagine he’ll be particularly keen to see him moved on, because from what I hear, he still sees him as a big part of what they’re doing at Aston Villa.
“It’s difficult for them at the moment; they have concerns with their financial issues. Will they have to sell players? Which players could they be? These questions need to be answered.
“But as far as Watkins’ future goes, the manager is going to be very reluctant to see him leave, and I expect he’ll make plans to keep hold of him.”
Should Villa keep hold of him, then they will have to look at other players they could move on. Morgan Rogers’ future is in doubt, with clubs circling, although he is their young star player. Ezri Konsa and Pau Torres may be considered, given their ages, as well as Matty Cash.
There is no doubt, however, that Watkins is a very unique player. His all-round qualities are quite rare in other strikers, so he would be difficult to replace. If his form continues, then Emery may be keen on keeping him at the club and will hope he can carry the momentum into next season.
