Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins is set to join Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal after the two clubs reached a transfer agreement, according to reports by Sacha Tavolieri via X. The 30-year-old England international has agreed personal terms on a contract worth approximately $15 million per year and is expected to travel to Riyadh in the coming days to complete the final formalities of the move.
Aston Villa Approves Transfer After Securing Replacement
Aston Villa had initially resisted approaches from Al-Hilal during the closing stages of the transfer window, refusing to sanction the departure of their star forward without a successor lined up. That dynamic shifted once the West Midlands club secured their desired attacking reinforcement. Speculation regarding the negotiation had already intensified after Watkins was omitted from Aston Villa’s squad for their fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion.
Al-Hilal pursued the forward aggressively throughout the window, ultimately convincing him to make the switch to the Middle East. The impending transfer brings a close to Watkins’s six-year tenure at Villa Park. He arrived from Brentford in 2020 for a then-club-record fee of £28 million and quickly established himself as a central pillar of the team’s ascent under Unai Emery.
Legacy at Villa Park and the Saudi Pro League Challenge
During his time in the Midlands, Watkins developed into one of Aston Villa’s most reliable performers and secured his status as a regular selection for the England national team. He departs as Aston Villa’s leading goalscorer of the Premier League era, cementing his historical importance to the club. While losing a player who consistently delivered goals, intelligent movement, and work off the ball presents a significant challenge for Villa, the reported $15 million annual salary offered by Al-Hilal represents a major career opportunity for the forward.
With both clubs aligned on the fee and the player’s personal terms already settled, the transfer is nearing its final conclusion. Watkins will look to integrate quickly into Al-Hilal’s squad in Riyadh as the Saudi Pro League continues to draw established European-based talent.
