Arsenal are reported to have have Ollie Watkins on their list of striker targets this summer transfer window
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10:43, 19 Jun 2025
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins
Time to cash in? Villa striker Ollie Watkins(Image: Ash Crowden/Shutterstock)
Ollie Watkins’ value in the transfer market may be depreciating with every passing transfer window - but does that mean Aston Villa should look to sell?
Watkins will turn 31 at the end of next year, and by then, he will have hoped to edge closer to joining the Premier League 100 club.
The striker surpassed Gabby Agbonlahor’s tally for Villa after scoring his 75th top-flight goal against Bournemouth in May. It was his 16th league goal of the most recent campaign and his 44th in all competitions since the start of the previous season.
Asked about his next objective, Watkins said: "To keep scoring goals. A hundred Premier League goals - I think that puts you into another category. I’m not too far off that - 25 to go - that can happen in a season. And to win a trophy."
The nearest Villa came to having a tilt at silverware last season was in the FA Cup, when they lost a Wembley semi-final to Crustal Palace.
Discussing that defeat, Watkins added: "You know, we were all disappointed with how we performed against Palace. We had been on an amazing run before that, and on such a big day for the club, we didn’t turn up.
"We hold our hands up for that, but this is something we had our eyes on - me especially: this record, and winning a trophy as well. That would have been the cherry on top of the season."
Those comments certainly suggest Watkins is planning for his future at Villa Park, despite interest from Arsenal - the club he supported as a boy.
Mikel Arteta is known to be a fan of Watkins, though he reportedly prioritises the likes of Viktor Gyökeres and Benjamin Šeško.
Put off by their huge price tags, perhaps Arsenal will eventually turn to Watkins this summer and lodge a bid in the region of £40 million.
That was the figure they loosely offered back in January. With six fewer months on Watkins' contract now, the Gunners might feel that price is more reasonable than it was halfway through last season.
Villa can’t realistically expect to receive offers of more than £60 million - even though Watkins is a proven Premier League goalscorer, and much more than that.
Since the start of the 2020/21 Premier League season, only two players have registered 75+ goals and 30+ assists: Watkins and Mo Salah.
After missing out on Champions League football, could Villa afford to sell Watkins and replace him with a forward who can match his output - and be equally reliable in terms of availability?
It would be a huge risk. Granted, holding onto a 29-year-old instead of cashing in is also a risk in the world of PSR, but Villa are not short of assets.
Selling the women’s team is one option for Villa, and other Premier League teams this summer. Even if funds must be raised, Watkins would surely be one of the hardest players to replace in the squad.
Replacing goals does not come cheap - especially given Villa’s focus on signing players with a certain profile: youth, upside, and coachability under Unai Emery.
Like with Jhon Durán, any new forward should be brought in to complement Watkins, not to replace him.
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