Fenerbahçe are refusing to give up on a possible move for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins this summer, with more meetings planned.
Journalist Sercan Hamzaoğlu reports that Fenerbahçe are not giving up on the 30-year-old striker after initial attempts this summer.
Fenerbahçe seek talks
According to his information, Fenerbahçe intend to hold further talks with both Ollie Watkins’ camp and Aston Villa regarding a possible transfer.
And the Turkish side are willing to do everything that they can to make the deal happen as well. Hamzaoğlu reports that Fenerbahçe will ‘push to the limit’ to sign the Aston Villa striker this summer. That’s because he’s a player that their manager, İsmail Kartal, is ‘particularly keen to sign’.
Sport Witness have been covering the interest from the Turkish side over the last few weeks. A report at the end of June explained that Fenerbahçe were ‘quietly exploring’ a deal for the striker.
Ollie Watkins’ agent then shut down such rumours, but that hasn’t stopped more from following. Sport Witness covered a report last week explaining that Fenerbahçe had already reached an agreement with Watkins over personal terms.
Would Aston Villa sell?
That had led the Turkish side to seek talks with Aston Villa over a potential deal. The belief in Türkiye is that Fenerbahçe would like to pay around €25m.
But that feels extremely ambitious, to say the least. While Transfermarkt value him at that figure, the Villans would surely want at least double to sanction a sale.
Ollie Watkins is not only a key player under Unai Emery but he’s also one of the leaders in the group. With Youri Tielemans going, Lucas Digne potentially following and Emi Martinez trying to get out, Aston Villa can’t afford to lose more players from that core group.
Of course, money can always talk. But this has always felt like a deal Fenerbahçe will struggle to get over the line.