Watkins nears Al-Hilal move as Aston Villa omit striker from squad | OneFootball

England striker Ollie Watkins is nearing a move to Roshn League side Al-Hilal after Aston Villa omitted him from their squad for today’s match at Brighton, with negotiations entering the final hours of the summer window.

According to Goal.com, talks with the Saudi club are at an advanced stage and Al-Hilal intend to submit a fresh offer to complete the deal.

Al-Hilal already have personal terms agreed with the 30-year-old, who has indicated he is ready to join, leaving Villa’s approval as the main obstacle to any agreement.

The Riyadh side have chased Watkins in recent days as they search for a new striker, with uncertainty still hanging over Karim Benzema’s future, despite the Frenchman insisting he wants to stay.

The Saudi champions are preparing to step up talks with Villa, buoyed by the player’s interest and his omission from the squad, which may signal a breakthrough. Attention now turns to whether their fresh bid can convince Villa before the window closes.

Source: Goal.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”