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Exclusive: McAvennie in awe of 'Outstanding' Villa player West Ham 'Should have signed'
West Ham should have rivalled Aston Villa to the signing of Ollie Watkins from Brentford, according to Frank McAvennie.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider correspondent Dylan Childs, the Hammers legend is excited about the prospect of Dean Smith’s side this season after a number of “great signings”.
Villa caused one of the greatest ever Premier League upsets on Sunday when they beat Liverpool 7-2 with new signing Watkins, 24, grabbing a first-half hattrick.
The Claret and Blue confirmed the capture of the striker from Brentford for a club-record £28million fee, which could rise to £33million with add-ons, last month.
Watkins is one of five new signings at Villa Park this summer – Ross Barkley, Bertrand Traore, Emiliano Martinez and Matty Cash having also arrived.
When asked by Football Insider for his assessment of Villa’s transfer dealings, McAvennie said: “Aston Villa were absolutely different class at the weekend.
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“I love the free-flowing football of Grealish, Barkley and McGinn. They were outstanding. Grealish nutmegging Virgil van Dijk – does it get any cheekier than that?
“It has the making for a good season at Villa. I just cannot believe that the fans are not there to see all of this.
“Villa have made some great signings. I wanted Ollie Watkins at West Ham. He is the striker that they should have gone for but he is at Aston Villa now.
“Villa are a massive club and they do not deserve, like West Ham, to be fighting relegation. They are a big, big team.”
In other Aston Villa news, Alan Hutton tips club to consider signing 28-yr-old over next nine days.