When Manchester City signed Jack Grealish for £100m in 2021, it may have felt like that was it for Aston Villa fans.
Their best player - one of their own - had picked glory over long-term hero status and they were now destined to drop away from their fresh mid-table status.
Aston-Villa-Abraham-Grealish
Five years later, however, and life couldn't be better for the Villans. That £100m arguably saved them from more PSR trouble and helped them build a side in Unai Emery's vision, which saw a Champions League future.
Meanwhile, although Grealish is a serial winner thanks to his time at the Etihad, he currently finds himself on loan at Everton and watching on as Villa push for a top-four finish.
How Grealish's sale transformed Aston Villa
Those in the Midlands thought they were losing their key man, but that couldn't have been further from the truth. They welcomed their true key man when Emery arrived in place of Steven Gerrard in 2022 and the Spaniard has since transformed Aston Villa.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery looks on
Ultimately, though, that transformation stemmed from the £100m sale of their academy graduate. In the three years that followed, Villa welcomed Lucas Digne, Leon Bailey, Philippe Coutinho, Jhon Duran, Morgan Rogers and others. All played their part and some of them still are.
A lot is made about Aston Villa's finances, but the record book doesn't lie. Grealish's departure has allowed them to break their transfer record five times since 2021 - leading to their rise into the Premier League's top six.
Aston Villa's most expensive signings of all time
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Now, it's time for them to cash in again and sell their best player since the big-money academy graduate.
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Aston Villa must sell Emery favourite
Grealish's departure hurt at the time, but it turned out to be the best decision for those at Villa Park. Now, it's time to make a similar call about Ollie Watkins.
There will be no £100m fee, for it's not necessarily about money this time around. Instead, it's about preserving a legacy. Knowing when to step away. And for Watkins, that time should be now.
His England snub is the first symptom, but Watkins' struggles have been clear for some time now. It speaks volumes that Tammy Abraham has been able to challenge for his position in a fairly routine fashion.
This is not the striker who scored 16 Premier League goals last season, nor is it the one who scored a last-gasp winner against the Netherlands at the 2024 Euros. It is, however, the striker who has scored two goals in his last ten league games.
In every metric, the 30-year-old has dropped off this season and if an offer arrives this summer, Aston Villa should look to cash in before finding a replacement.
Watkins PL Stats 24/25 25/26
Minutes 2,610 2,305
Goals 16 9
Assists 8 1
XG 15.49 10.4
Shots 84 62
Conversion rate 19.05% 14.52%
The numbers are incredibly concerning. Watkins has gone from one of the most clinical strikers in the league - outperforming his xG - to a struggling forward who looks past his best.
ollie-watkins-aston-villa
There's no denying his hero status at Villa Park. It wouldn't even be absurd to suggest that he'll go down as a bigger hero than Grealish, but the drop-off is clear for all to see.
It's not just in front of goal that his impact has dwindled, either. Watkins has also gone from one of Villa's chief creators to a player with just one assist to his name this season.
Donyell Malen aside, Villa have had the same players around their forward, who is simply failing to bring others into play.
With over 20 fewer shots so far this season on top of that, everything is pointing to the fact that Watkins is not where Emery needs him to be and it should be no shock that his influence has dropped as a result.
If Emery can't find a solution, then he must cash in this summer.
aston-villa-record-sales-douglas-luiz-grealish-milner Related
Aston Villa's most expensive sales of all time
A look at Aston Villa’s record departures.