Everton will reportedly look to sign 26-year-old English attacker Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by Football Insider, Ollie Watkins is the subject of interest from Everton over a possible move in the ongoing transfer window. Aston Villa might be open to letting the 26-year-old attacker depart from Villa Park this summer amid uneasy relations between him and manager Steven Gerrard.
Ollie Watkins was unheralded in the early stages as a professional before a move to Brentford turned his fortunes spectacularly. The English international gradually grew in stature at the Brentford Community Stadium before earning a big transfer to Aston Villa following a brilliant 2019/20 campaign.
The 26-year-old has been largely consistent during his stint with Aston Villa, amassing 27 goals and nine assists in 78 appearances thus far. But Watkins faces an uncertain future at Villa Park, with recent reports claiming he does not see “eye-to-eye” with manager Steven Gerrard. And such a situation has captured the attention of Everton.
The Toffees are in the market for a striker this summer, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin out with another frustrating injury. With Everton already selling Richarlison to Tottenham Hotspur and Salomon Rondon failing to make his mark thus far at Goodison Park, the need to sign a striker has accentuated for Frank Lampard.
Everton’s concerns have risen amid uncertainties surrounding Anthony Gordon’s future. The young attacker has popped up on Chelsea’s radar and is pushing to join the west London club before the summer transfer window shuts down. So Everton will have no option but to reinforce the attack with at least one player this summer.
Watkins has thus emerged as a viable target for Everton, with the 26-year-old Aston Villa attacker being an attractive option due to his potential availability. The Toffees also have several other strikers on their radar, including Che Adams. Intermediaries also offered the Merseyside club the chance to Arkadiusz Milik.
But Watkins might be the best option on the table due to his experience in the Premier League. With the 26-year-old reaching his peak years, Everton will have a solid candidate in the Aston Villa striker. But it will be interesting to see if the English international fits their budget amid uncertainties surrounding his Aston Villa future.
