Ollie Watkins: Stats vs Bologna show why Aston Villa simply cannot sell England international
Ollie Watkins found the back of the net once again for Aston Villa on Thursday as they cruised to a 4-0 win over Bologna.
The victory sealed the club’s place in the Europa League semi-finals in style as they blew away the Italian side.
As a result, Villa have edged closer to a first major trophy this millennium as they look to secure Champions League football.
However, the game also showed how valuable Watkins can still be for the Birmingham outfit, as his early goal allowed the floodgates to open.
With Watkins linked with a sale in the summer, Villa simply cannot let him depart, and his recent performance showcases why.
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VISIT THE VILLA MATCH HUBOllie Watkins was superb vs Bologna
While the striker’s goal was perhaps the easiest he will ever score, tapping the ball into the net mere yards from the goal line, it was yet another one to add to the tally for the England international.
The 30-year-old has now scored four times in his last four games, and continues to impress in Europe in particular.
| Ollie Watkins vs Bologna | |
| Minutes | 64 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Passing completion | 92% |
| Chances created | 1 |
| Dribbles completed | 100% |
| Ground duels won | 75% |
According to Fotmob on 16 April, on top of his goal, he had a great game, only misplacing one pass, creating one chance, completing all of his dribbles as well as 75 per cent of his ground duels.
While Villa have been linked with a sale of Watkins, this simply must be blocked.
Against Bologna, the striker has shown across two legs that he can still perform to a high standard against European opposition, and this is something that the club is inevitably going to need next season.
Who wants to sign Watkins?
Former Aston Villa scout Mick Brown exclusively told Football Insider that Everton were looking to sign Watkins.
The Toffees have had troubles up top themselves this season and are without a consistent scorer in their lineup.
With Everton also battling to qualify for Europe, a move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium may be appealing to the striker.
However, it remains to be seen if Villa will let Watkins go in the summer, especially to a fellow Premier League rival such as Everton, who could be fighting them for a European place next season.
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