Watkins Absent as Villa Crumble at Brighton, Al Hilal Transfer Saga Deepens
Ollie Watkins was left out of Aston Villa's match-day squad for their 4-0 defeat at Brighton on Saturday, as the Saudi club Al Hilal continue to push for his signature with the transfer window still open.
Villa's heaviest defeat of the young season landed without their leading striker anywhere near the bench. Watkins, 30, had been a Brighton specialist — seven goals in nine Premier League appearances against them, including a brace in Villa's win at the Amex last December. His absence was felt.
On the BBC's Match of the Day, pundits Gabby Logan, Danny Murphy and Joe Hart discussed whether Watkins was on the verge of leaving the club (BBC Sport). The conversation was not speculation dressed up as news; it was a response to a player simply not being there.
The reason is no secret. Watkins has told Aston Villa he wants to join Al Hilal, and the Saudi side have already had four bids rejected, according to The Athletic (The Athletic). Sky Sports reported that their first offer was in the region of £38.5 million, with a later bid of around €45 million also turned down (Sky Sports).
Villa manager Unai Emery did little to calm the noise. Asked about Watkins amid the Al Hilal interest, he gave what Sky Sports described as a cryptic answer (Sky Sports). The club's own live coverage reported that Emery admitted Watkins' future at the club is "an issue" (Sky Sports).
Talks between the two clubs have been ongoing since at least mid-August, when Sky Sports first reported that Al Hilal were in discussions with Villa over a deal (Sky Sports).
If Watkins does go, Villa are not planning to wait. Sky Sports reported on Saturday that the club are expected to make an approach for Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson, who is valued at £65 million (Sky Sports). Jackson, a Senegal international, has been at Chelsea since 2023.
What makes this stand out is the collision of timing and symbolism. Villa were hammered 4-0 on the south coast — their worst result of the season so far — and the player who might have changed the outcome was unavailable, his head turned toward Riyadh. For a club that finished in the Champions League places last season and built genuine momentum, losing a 15-goal-a-season striker to a Saudi side in the final weeks of the window would sting.
For Watkins, the appeal is straightforward. Al Hilal, one of Saudi Arabia's biggest clubs, can offer wages that English football cannot match, and a league that has already attracted names like Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo in recent years. Watkins has given Villa five seasons, over 70 Premier League goals, and a place in the Champions League. He may feel he has earned the right to choose his next chapter.
Whether Villa's valuation is met before the window closes, or whether Watkins is reintegrated into Emery's squad, remains the central question of their season's opening weeks.
