(Credit: imago)

Evan Shaw

Wed 25 March 2026 16:45, UK

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Aston Villa could be about to finish Ollie Watkins’ time at the club by making a summer move for Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey.

Unai Emery’s side are assessing potential candidates to come in and strengthen their forward line ahead of next season, and they have identified the Dutchman as a player of major interest to them.

Brobbey has received plenty of plaudits in his debut season in the Premier League this term, and netted a late winner for the Black Cats in last weekend’s Tyne-Wear derby.

The 24-year-old’s performances have seen him emerge on the radar at Villa Park, as the second city outfit prepare to strengthen their squad again ahead of next term.

Aston Villa’s transfer plans are set to see them make a bid to try and refresh their attack this summer, and any move for Brobbey would surely spell the writing on the wall for Watkins.

Brian Brobbey is clearly outperforming Ollie Watkins

Ex-Aston Villa scout Mick Brown told Football Insider on Wednesday that his former club are keeping a close eye on Brobbey with a view to making a move at the end of the campaign.

The former recruitment man hailed the 24-year-old for being “a handful to play against” while also providing strength and an ability to find the back of the net consistently.

Brown suggested that a frontman of Brobbey’s style would take the fancy of Villa, as they aim to try and add another dimension to their attacking options for next term.

Watkins has faced plenty of criticism amid his ongoing struggles this season, as his remarkable run from previous campaigns has finally started to wear off.

The 30-year-old has scored more than Brobbey in the Premier League this term, but has been outperformed by the Sunderland man in terms of goals per 90, while he also ranks worse across several other key metrics.

Villa fans have been growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of consistency that he has shown of late, and a move for Brobbey would surely result in him being shown the door.

Brobbey deal would not be cheap for Aston Villa

Villa are still facing concerns regarding their PSR standing heading into the summer window, although their likely qualification for the Champions League looks set to provide a welcome boost to their coffers.

Nevertheless, there is no doubt that a move for Brobbey would not come cheaply for them this summer, given the fee that Sunderland shelled out to sign him from Ajax last year.

The Black Cats splashed a cool £21.6million on the striker, and handed him a five-year deal in the process, as part of their squad rebuild after being promoted from the Championship.

Given the way that Brobbey’s reputation has grown so far this season, his valuation is sure to have increased significantly since then, while Sunderland are also under no pressure to sell him.

As a result, it is already clear that Villa will have to get their chequebook out and table a sizeable fee if they want to secure his services, and that may prove difficult if their financial constraints are as severe as they have been in recent years.