31 PL goals + assists already
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Right now strikers are in demand. Since Erling Haaland revitalised the traditional number nine role in England, scoring goal after goal at centre-forward for Manchester City, the old-school number nine is back in fashion. And top clubs around Europe are searching for their own out-and-out goalscorer in an attempt to keep up with last season’s treble winners. There’s one Premier League striker who could be set to join a very exclusive club, should he be able to end the season strongly, and he could even be on the radar of some top sides this summer.
Whilst lots of the talk has been about Toney getting a big move, the discussion has been much quieter around Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins. But Villa’s no.11 is on fire this season. Being English, in his prime at 28 years old, and proven in the Premier League – Watkins ticks a lot of boxes. No player can beat Watkins’ 31 combined Premier League goals and assists this season. Mohamed Salah comes closest with 26. And after his two assists in Villa’s 3-1 win against Bournemouth he is now top of the assist charts too with 12. If Watkins were to win both awards this season, he would become just the fourth Premier League player to do so, after Andy Cole in 1993/94, Harry Kane in 2020/21, and Salah in 2021/22.
How Watkins has proved he is an elite striker this season
Aston Villa have been one of the success stories of the season. The Midlands outfit are in a great position to gain a top four finish, currently six points ahead of fifth paced Tottenham, but with Spurs having two games in hand. As things stand, only fourth will be enough for Champions League football next season. Big wins against Arsenal (home and away), Man City and Tottenham have helped Unai Emery’s team mix it with the elite this term. They will also play in the Europa Conference League semi-final, and with Emery’s superb record in Europe, many expect Villa to go all the way.
One huge factor in Villa’s success this campaign has been the consistent form of their striker Watkins. This season, he now has the outright most assists in the Premier League with 12. When it comes to goalscoring, Watkins is now second with 19 goals, only one behind Haaland and Cole Palmer (20). That means Watkins is averaging 0.94 goals or assists every game. A remarkable output for a club outside of the title race. When it comes to non penalty goals, Watkins leads the way on the goalscoring charts for the entire division and even beats the potent Haaland. Nevertheless, as already highlighted by his assists, Watkins isn’t only a goalscorer. There’s much more to his game.
This season, only Bukayo Saka (224) and Darwin Núñez (173) have had more touches in the opponent’s penalty area than Watkins (170). He is a constant thorn in the opponent’s side, getting into the box and running at defenders. Creating chances. Converting chances. Watkins’ ability to run in behind and stretch defences has been a valuable asset to Emery this term. The 28 year old is irreplaceable at this moment in time. No outfield Aston Villa player has played more Premier League minutes this season than Watkins.
When it comes to centre-forwards, Watkins is right up there with the best in terms of his final output (goals and assists) Add to that, the bonus of being proven in the Premier League – Watkins has now hit double figures for league goals for four seasons in a row, he could be hot property in the next transfer window. When the summer comes around, lots of top clubs are going to be on the hunt, circling for a top goalscorer once more. Aston Villa may need Champions League football to guarantee retaining Watkins’ services for another season.
Which clubs could come in for Watkins this summer?
This summer transfer window looks set to feature a striker merry-go-round. Mbappé edges closer to the most lucrative free transfer of all time from PSG to Real Madrid. Victor Osimhen looks like he will be on the move and has spoken openly about his desire to play in the Premier League. Brentford manager Thomas Frank admitted Toney will probably leave West London this summer. A number of top clubs are desperate for a top centre-forward, and Watkins, with a market value of €65m, is sure to be on the radar of many clubs.
Arsenal were a team linked with a whole host of strikers during the last window, with many believing they don’t have the natural goalscorer needed to win the Premier League title. It does look as though backup forward Eddie Nketiah may leave the club in the summer, opening up an opportunity for another striker to compete against Gabriel Jesus. Watkins offers a very different profile to Jesus and could provide more balanced options up front for Mikel Arteta. Whilst the Brazilian drops deep and links up play superbly, Watkins is always keen to get in behind and stretch defences, which could provide more space for the likes of Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard to work their magic. Watkins was also an Arsenal fan as a child, so would likely be interested in the move.
Chelsea are another London team still in the hunt for a new striker. Nicolas Jackson has adapted fairly well to his first season in the Premier League, scoring nine and providing good hold up play, but doesn’t look the finished article. Watkins, with his proven experience could be an option to get the Blues back on track. Although, there’s a good chance there may be no European football at Stamford Bridge next season, which may dissuade Watkins from making that particular move.
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