Ollie Watkins has completed his move from Aston Villa to Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal in a deal worth £51 million, ending his six-year spell in Birmingham.
The England striker's wife, Ellie, has reacted publicly to the relocation, describing the family's departure as "bittersweet." In a video posted to TikTok, where she has more than a million followers, she said her heart is "breaking" even as she looks forward to the new chapter.
"We are in Riyadh, we arrived in Saudi last night and I think I'm still in shock to be honest like how life can change so quickly but that is the joys of football," she said.
"I've always actually said how lucky I think we are because we've been at Villa for six years which in football terms is actually quite a long time. We've had our children there, we've had quite big life events so it feels bittersweet to me. I loved my life there."
Ellie Watkins, an influencer, also posted a series of photographs of herself and her husband at Villa Park, with a message about the emotional weight of leaving. "Anyone that knows me knows how emotional I am my heart is hurting as we end the most amazing 6 years at Villa!" she wrote.
"We had our beautiful babies here, made friends for life and have a built a life here that I will always be so grateful for. Watching Ollie's career progress here has been so special. I've watched some of the highest highs and been there through all of the lows too. I couldn't be prouder of how much he's achieved but most importantly the person he has remained through it all."
Watkins' farewell message
Ollie Watkins issued his own farewell message on social media, expressing gratitude for his time at Aston Villa.
"Firstly, I would like to say, never did I intend, nor did I imagine, my time at Aston Villa would end this way," he wrote.
"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."
The transfer was completed after Watkins made himself unavailable for Villa's Premier League opener against Brighton last weekend.
Villa boss says emotional goodbye
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery said he had "small tears" as he said goodbye to Watkins, describing the striker as "fantastic."
Family settling in Saudi Arabia
Ellie Watkins and the couple's two young children, Amara, aged five, and Marley, aged three, have relocated to Riyadh with Watkins. The reported weekly wages for the striker at Al-Hilal are £400,000.
Other footballers' wives have spoken about the difficulty of adapting to life in Saudi Arabia after moving from the UK. Taylor Ward, wife of former Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez, has said she was unhappy after the pair left England for Al-Ahli.
Ellie Watkins acknowledged in her TikTok video that she did not anticipate the move, saying it was not on her "bingo card for 2026." She also described the family's six years at Villa as a long time in football terms, noting that they had their children there and experienced significant life events during the period.
She did, however, express excitement about the new adventure that lies ahead.