Aston Villa have experienced a huge leap in quality since Unai Emery took charge of the club in October 2022, with their push for European football prevailing in his debut season in the Midlands.
There have been many elements to the Spaniard’s success on his return to the Premier League, with the improvement of individual performance and change in trajectory of expectation at Villa Park being key to their recent form.
One player that has been a star performer during Emery’s reign is Ollie Watkins, who was one of the many driving forces behind the Villans’ climb up the table to reach the highs of a European spot finish.
The Englishman has raised the bar in areas of his game that have inspired his teammates to follow, with him ending last campaign as Villa’s leading talisman and writing himself into the record books at the club.
Watkins became the first player in Villa’s history to score in five consecutive Premier League games, as he cemented himself as an integral part of Emery’s plans going forward.
It was only three years ago that the 27-year-old arrived in the Midlands, with talks now speculated over an opening to extend his stay at the club.
How much was Ollie Watkins worth at Brentford?
In 2017, Brentford signed Exeter City’s 21-year-old forward on the back of his 16-goal season with the south-west club that pushed the side to the play-offs in the 2016/17 campaign.
The manager of the Bees at the time was Dean Smith, who saw a lot in the youngster, dubbing him as a player with an “awful lot of potential” following his arrival in the capital.
Ollie Watkins domestic career record, per Transfermarkt
Club
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Exeter City
78
26
17
Brentford
143
49
17
Aston Villa
126
47
15
At the point of his signing, FootballTransfers has recorded his expected transfer value (xTV) as being in the region of €2.2m (£1.9m), which rose to €23.7m (£20.4m) in just three years.
It’s no surprise that the Torquay-born gem's value has soared so quickly, as he has set the tone for others in the squad to follow, netting a total of 49 goals in 143 appearances for Brentford, leading them to the playoffs in his final season of 2019/20 with 25 Championship goals.
How much did Aston Villa sign Ollie Watkins for?
The Bees didn’t make the Premier League on that occasion, however Watkins did, being captured by Villa in the summer of 2020 for a club-record fee at the time of £28m.
Smith delivered at Brentford by welcoming Watkins to the fold, which he replicated at Villa Park as he was the manager of the Villans and the driving force behind acquiring the striker at the Midlands club.
The manager praised his forward as “outstanding” during his tenure, as he made a statement start to life in the top-flight by scoring 14 Premier League goals in his debut campaign.
Under each manager at Villa, the Englishman has maintained a level of consistency in front of goal, being the club’s go-to scorer when called upon, with him reaching his top level last season during the Villans’ push for Europe.
How much is Ollie Watkins worth now?
Signed for just £28m, Smith struck gold in welcoming Watkins to the Midlands when you consider the prices paid in the market currently for natural goal scoring strikers.
Previously lauded as “top-class” by football.london’s Richard Cusack, the 27-year-old’s game has matured over the years, which is highlighted by his rise in value.
As per FootballTransfers, the forward’s highest xTV was €48.9m (£42.2m) in December 2022, just prior to his record-breaking stint at the start of 2023 that saw him net five on the bounce.
Aside from expected value, the forward was rumoured to be valued in the region of £60m in the summer, as a report from The Sun suggested that the Englishman was a potential target for Bayern Munich in a deal that would amount to such price.
Why is he worth that much?
It’s simple to understand why Watkins’ price has soared during his time at Villa, as he developed from a Championship sharp-shooter to a reliable outlet in the Premier League.
Three years after his arrival, the 27-year-old has scored 41 goals in the top-flight, with his scoring streak rewarded in 2021 with his first cap for England, where he has since earned a total of seven appearances for his country and scored two goals.
In a comprehensive interview with Sky Sports, finishing coach Scott Chickelday spoke on the growth of Watkins’ game last season, where he scored more goals with his left foot by the start of 2023 than he did in the entire campaign the year prior.
Chickelday, who has worked with the forward, told of the importance of the “modern-day striker” to be “well-balanced”, which is identifiable in the England international’s development since his rise in the Premier League.
While many players can score goals, not many can be relied upon to deliver levels of consistency in scoring season upon season, reinforcing just how pivotal Smith’s £28m capture of Watkins was in 2020.
Since his time in the top-flight, the forward has yet to score less than 10 goals in the league during a season, communicating his maintained level of consistency in front of goal.
How much does Watkins earn?
As reported this week by talkSPORT, it’s understood that Watkins is well-poised to commit his future to Villa, with the site reporting that a new long-term contract could be on the cards.
Currently, the striker is contracted to Villa Park until 2025, with a rumoured new deal set to extend the expiry beyond 2025 and boost his payslip.
Despite being such an influential player in Emery’s set-up, the former Exeter City whiz sits outside of the club’s top 10 current earners, picking up a weekly wage of £75k which amounts to a sum of £3.9m-per-year.
With Villa’s highest-earner Boubacar Kamara receiving £150k-per-week, it would be assumed that the Englishman’s salary could be significantly bolstered in the instance of a new contract, however nothing has been confirmed as concrete yet.
What does the future hold for Watkins?
Running alongside talks of a refreshed deal are rumours of a potential exit, with Football Transfers claiming that Arsenal have ‘engaged in discussions’ with the striker's agent, in a potential swoop for the star in January.
Thousands of rumours circulate regarding potential moves, however, the links only reinforce just how highly-valued Villa’s talisman is in the Premier League, stressing just how much of a strong deal Smith pulled off in securing his signature.
From £28m to hearsay of £60m and beyond, Villa struck gold in acquiring Watkins, who has not only given the club an essential outlet in the final third but also the potential for profit due to his development whilst at Villa Park.
