Aston Villa's all-time record Premier League goalscorer, Ollie Watkins, appears to be heading for an exit from the club. Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal have had four offers rejected for the striker, with their latest bid reportedly close to £40m, though this is not near Villa's asking price.
Watkins, 30, has been training on his own after returning from an extended break following the World Cup and is understood to have made his desire to move clear to the Villa hierarchy. Head coach Unai Emery offered an enigmatic "silence" when asked about Watkins' absence from Villa's 4-0 Premier League opening defeat to Brighton on Sunday.
The potential departure of Watkins, who joined Villa from Brentford for £28m and has scored 108 goals in 278 games, would be an emotional one for the club. His last game for Villa currently stands as the Europa League final victory in Istanbul, where he helped end their 30-year wait for a trophy.
As the transfer deadline approaches next Tuesday, Villa are expected to play hardball. Al-Hilal may also need to move one of their overseas players to accommodate Watkins, despite recently loaning Darwin Nunez to Diriyah.