Ollie Watkins ready to sign new long-term contract at Aston Villa
09/27/2023 04:42 AM
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins is ready to sign a new long-term contract at the club, talkSPORT understands.
The 27-year-old signed from Brentford in 2020 and has proven to be a key asset ever since.
Watkins shined last season as he netted 15 Premier League goals en route to Villa’s qualification for the Europa Conference League.
His first league goal of the current campaign came on Sunday afternoon in their 1-0 win away at Chelsea.
And now Watkins looks set to commit his future to the club as they continue their impressive growth under Unai Emery.
Talks between the striker and Villa started at the end of last season and are expected to ramp up with the his current deal expiring in the summer of 2025.
There is a strong willingness on both sides to agree terms as Watkins is seen as a key part of manager Emery’s plans.
Villa have enjoyed a strong start to the season as they sit 6th in the table after playing as many games.
European football is also on their calendar this term after the beat Scottish side Hibernian in the Europa Conference League qualifiers.
Watkins scored a hat-trick in the first leg of their 8-0 aggregate win, although Villa fell to a 3-2 defeat against Legia Warsaw in the groups.
He has started every Premier League game for the club so far this season, with his latest appearance proving crucial.
Despite Chelsea dominating for much of the match, it was Watkins’ low finish that sealed all three points for Emery’s side.
A contract extension would be a huge boost to Villa amid potential interest from other clubs, especially if he continues his impressive efforts in front of goal.
The new talkSPORT match centre
Keep up-to-date with all the latest football fixtures, results and standings in our new match centre.
