Watkins completes £51m move to Al-Hilal
Ollie Watkins has completed his £51m transfer from Aston Villa to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, signing a three-year contract after passing his medical, as reported by Sports Mole.
The 30-year-old striker's move ends a six-year stay at Villa Park, during which he scored 108 goals and registered 47 assists in 278 appearances across all competitions, according to the same source. Watkins is Villa's all-time record Premier League goalscorer with 91 goals, having scored 16 in 37 league matches last season to help the club finish fourth.
Watkins helped Villa win the 2025-26 Europa League, ending the club's 44-year wait for European silverware. His final game for the club was May's 2-1 top-flight win at Manchester City, in which he scored twice in Pep Guardiola's farewell match at the Etihad Stadium.
Watkins speaks on 'heavy heart' departure
The transfer was completed after Watkins made himself unavailable for Villa's Premier League opener against Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend, a match Villa lost 4-0 at the Amex Stadium, as reported by Sports Mole. Manager Unai Emery revealed that Watkins apologised for his actions before bidding an emotional farewell and completing the move.
In a video posted on social media, Watkins said: "Never did I intend, nor did I imagine, my time at Aston Villa would end this way. With that being said, I am eternally grateful for the last six years. Not only has it shaped me as a player, but as a person. We've been through so many ups and downs in my six seasons here, but one thing that has never changed is that I have given everything for this club."
He added that he closes this chapter "with a heavy heart" and thanked Villa's supporters and everyone associated with the club.
Exeter City expect solidarity payment
Exeter City, Watkins' first club, have confirmed they expect to receive a payment following the transfer, as reported by Birmingham Live and Sports Mole. The League Two club cited FIFA's solidarity mechanism, which distributes a proportion of any transfer fee to clubs involved in training and developing a player between the ages of 12 and 23.
Watkins was part of Exeter City's academy from the age of 11 in 2007 and made his first-team debut in 2014. He scored 26 goals in 78 appearances for the club before being sold to Brentford in 2017 for a reported 8m, and he joined Villa three years later for a fee totalling £33m, as reported by Sports Mole.
In a statement, Exeter City said the process involves Exeter City, Brentford, Aston Villa, and Al-Hilal and is subject to confidentiality clauses beyond the club's control. The club said they do not anticipate receiving any sum before the end of the current transfer window and that payments may be made in instalments over a number of years.
"To ensure full transparency, we will share further information with supporters when we are able to do so, however, this will be in line with the confidentiality agreements in place," the statement read. "We can assure supporters that any sum received will be used to protect and strengthen the long-term security of the Club."
Exeter City added: "We wish Ollie well with this next chapter in his career. He is a fantastic footballer - a product of the Exeter City Academy..."