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(Credit: Imago)
Callum O'Connell
Sun 3 August 2025 12:11, UK
Aston Villa are planning to accept offers for Ollie Watkins this summer as work has already begun on identifying his potential replacement.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson explained that Unai Emery would be prepared to see the 29-year-old leave Villa Park with two players coming in to replace him.
The England international will turn 30 by the end of the year, and a fee of £65million would be viewed as a good deal for an ageing player.
Football Insider exclusively revealed on 28 July that Villa want to sell Watkins and have set their sights on signing former Everton star Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
The forward’s availability on a free has attracted interest from a number of Premier League clubs and Villa have him among their targets to replace Watkins.
However, Robinson told Football Insider on 2 August that Man United have walked away from signing Watkins as a result of his lofty asking price.
Aston Villa are set to make a decision about Watkins’ future.
(Credit: Imago)
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This article contains exclusive comment from Paul Robinson, a football pundit and former England, Tottenham and Leeds goalkeeper.
Former Villa scout Mick Brown told Football Insider in May that Aston Villa will accept big offers for Watkins and view the striker as a sellable asset this summer.
The striker scored 16 goals and provided eight assists in 38 Premier League games last time out and remains a key member of Emery’s squad heading into the new season.
However, Robinson explained that an offer of £65million would likely be accepted and would allow the club to reinvest in signing his replacement.
“Ollie Watkins has got a contract for another three years at Aston Villa,” he told Football Insider.
“He’s a key part in what they do and what they have done.
“I think for them to let him go, they would have to replace him maybe even with two players.
“The noise around Watkins is not going away, there may be plans in the background at Villa to replace him.
“If they’re thinking ‘we can get £60-65million for a 30-year-old by the end of the year’, that may be something they’re looking at if it’s a huge fee.
“I think they’ll be reluctant to let him go and will push the fee as far as they possibly can.”
Unai Emery wants to keep his best players at Aston Villa.
(Credit: Hasan Karim, Breaking Media)
Watkins is not the only star man at Villa Park who is attracting interest in a summer transfer, as Chelsea remain strongly interested in signing Morgan Rogers.
Football Insider revealed on 2 August that Villa will demand £80million to sell Rogers and are extremely reluctant to see him leave the club in this window.
Rogers is seen as the “dream signing” for Chelsea, who have been keeping a close eye on his progress at Villa Park after a successful season under Emery.
This comes after Football Insider revealed on 8 July that Villa are “desperate” to keep Rogers despite the potential financial benefits of his sale in their current situation.
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