Aston Villa confirmed the sale of striker Ollie Watkins to Al Hilal, of Saudi Arabia, in a transfer valued at 60 million euros. The 29-year-old English player signed a long-term contract with the Saudi club, which has been investing heavily in top players from European football over the past few years. The operation represents one of Aston Villa's biggest sales and one of the most significant in the transfer market for the Saudi league.
Watkins was officially presented by Al Hilal with great media fanfare, becoming one of the most prominent names to reinforce Saudi football in recent times. The striker leaves the Premier League after several seasons of prominence at Aston Villa, where he became one of the best scorers in the English competition and a reference in the attack of the English national team.
Al Hilal, which already has other high-profile names on its roster such as Neymar, continues its strategy of assertion in world football through the signing of international stars. The Saudi club positions itself as one of the main destinations for players at the end of their careers or at their peak who are looking for multi-million euro contracts, competing directly with the big European clubs in talent acquisition.
