Aston Villa ready to sell striker Ollie Watkins this summer

Aston Villa are prepared to part ways with star striker Ollie Watkins within the next three days as they urgently seek to navigate the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), sources have told Football Insider.

Villa face a delicate financial situation. The club can only register a loss of around £15 million for the year just gone, with the Premier League’s PSR allowing total losses of £105 million over a rolling three-year period.

Current forecasts suggest Villa are on track to breach these limits, prompting the club’s ownership group NSWE to urgently explore financial strategies to ensure compliance.

Aston Villa want to sell striker Ollie Watkins

These financial concerns have led Villa to consider drastic measures, including exploring the sale of their women’s team. However, the potential sale of Watkins now appears to be the club’s most direct route to balancing the books.

Watkins has been a consistent performer under Unai Emery, scoring 17 goals and providing 14 assists across all competitions last season.

He is one of the most reliable strikers in the Premier League, which is why Villa had previously turned down a £40 million bid from Arsenal in January.

While Arsenal have shown interest in the England international, they have not returned with a formal bid so far this summer.

Villa have now informed senior agents that Watkins is available for sale, but as of now, they have not found a buyer willing to meet their valuation for the talismanic forward.

Watkins’ potential departure would be a significant blow to Emery’s plans. However, the club’s urgent need to comply with financial regulations may leave them with little choice if a suitable offer is received in the coming days.

What next for Watkins?

There is no shortage of clubs that would benefit from Watkins’ qualities, with Premier League sides such as Chelsea and Manchester United monitoring striker options this summer, while Arsenal could revisit their interest.

Villa’s willingness to sell their star striker within such a tight timeframe underscores the serious challenges clubs face under PSR regulations.

Villa fans will be watching anxiously as the situation develops, aware that the coming days could shape the club’s immediate and long-term future.

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