Aston Villa have already found Ollie Watkins replacement after source’s update – pundit
Aston Villa have already found a replacement for Ollie Watkins after an update on his future.
That’s according to former Leeds United stopper Paddy Kenny, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the striker’s chances of leaving Villa Park.
Football Insider revealed on 10 August that Villa are willing to sell Watkins in the final weeks of the window and talks are underway over signing a striker from Spain.
The England international, 26, was a surprise omission from the Villa starting XI for the team’s 2-0 opening-day Premier League defeat to Bournemouth but returned to the starting XI against Everton on Saturday (13 August).
Kenny finds the decision to potentially let Watkins leave “strange”.
“It’s quite early to be making a decision like that,” Kenny told Football Insider correspondent Ben Wild.
“It is also a bit late in the transfer window to decide to get rid of somebody like Watkins. This is an England international who has never let Vila down.
“It is a bit strange that they would let him go. Is this another Gerrard decision? Danny Ings is a fantastic striker but he’s not exactly hit the ground running.
“If Watkins goes then who do Villa have if Ings gets injured? They ould have to bring someone in the replace him straight away.
“Maybe they already have someone in mind and they are now waiting for Watkins to leave, that would make sense.”
Watkins has scored 27 goals in 77 matches in all competitions for Villa during his two years at the club.
He joined the club from Brentford in the summer of 2020 after scoring 25 goals in 46 Championship games during the 2019-20 campaign.
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