Aston Villa set to brutally sell £60m ‘game-changer’ so they can afford to sign £335k-a-week duo
Aston Villa fans are in dreamland at present, with the club into the Champions League quarter-finals, the FA Cup semi-finals and sitting just one point away from a potential top-five finish – and that is without doubt due to the work that Unai Emery has done at the club. But they could see Ollie Watkins leave and still have the full backing of their boss to ensure his departure wouldn’t harm their form going forward.
Emery took over Villa when they were languishing in a lowly 17th in the Premier League back in October 2022 under Steven Gerrard, and immediately transformed their performances to finish in seventh on the final day of the top-flight campaign, marking Europa Conference League football.
Villa Could Sell Watkins to Afford Double Premier League Deal
The striker is one of the best in the league, but a rejig could be advantageous
But since then, it’s been an even better ride. Qualifying for Champions League football last season after finishing fourth in the league, it’s seen Villa sign high-profile stars such as Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio, amongst others, to compete for minutes. However, perhaps more impressively, it’s Amorim’s coaching and turning players such as John McGinn and Morgan Rogers into world-beaters that has been most impressive.
And his ability to improve players could open up a potentially bizarre gap in the transfer market for Villa – though it would involve selling one of their most important players in Watkins.
Rashford will be available for £40million to Villa this summer, as per his agreed buy-option as a result of his loan move from Manchester United; whilst Ipswich Town star Liam Delap is reportedly set to see a £30million relegation release clause become active as early as next Sunday if results go against the Tractor Boys.
That would, of course, mean a £70million outlay this summer in fees and £300,000-per-week to take over Rashford’s contract alongside the £36,000-per-week that Delap is on, but even at around £335,000-per-week in wages, it’s a deal worth doing with Delap having performed extremely well in his breakthrough Premier League campaign, and Rashford slotting nicely into the West Midlands cohort.
But with Watkins having come under heavy interest from Arsenal in the January transfer window, the Villans could look to reignite their interest and sign two players for the price of one – tempting England star Rashford into a permanent player and signing arguably the nation’s best young striker at present.
Of course, in an ideal world, Villa would not want to lose Watkins. But at the age of 29, he’s not getting any younger – and even though he has hit double figures in each of his Premier League campaigns to garner ‘gamechanger’ merits, Emery’s ability to coach players to become world beaters is undeniable – and so Delap, who has seven years on Watkins, could be the ideal step to take at this point.
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