Ollie Watkins exit condition named at Aston Villa as Manchester City claim made
Don Goodman insists Ollie Watkins should only consider leaving Aston Villa if he is joining a club that can offer him Champions League football and regular starts.
Watkins is coming off the back of another sensational season for the Villans in which he scored 19 goals and assisted 13 more in 37 Premier League matches.
That form helped Villa qualify for the Champions League next season, where the England international is certain to start every game fitness permitting.
A number of Premier League clubs have been credited with an interest in Watkins, and Goodman believes Manchester City are the only team that he would not currently start for week in, week out.
Speaking to Villa News, Goodman said: “It’s a tough one. I’m sure he’ll have a massive amount of loyalty to Aston Villa – or at least he should feel that way.
“The only Premier League team you could rule him out playing every week is Manchester City because of Erling Haaland.
“It’s a tough one for Villa fans, but for Watkins it must be exciting. He’s already at a big club who are now playing Champions League football.
“I can categorically say that if I’m him, I wouldn’t be leaving unless I was offered regular football at a team playing in the Champions League.”
Aston Villa must keep Ollie Watkins
Watkins could demand a huge transfer fee, even in the days of PSR, but Aston Villa must stand firm.
The Englishman was a key part of the Villans’ memorable campaign last time out with his goals and assists.
As Goodman says, there is pretty much only one team in the Premier League he would not get into regularly – and even then Pep Guardiola would no doubt still love him.
That means the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal would all like to sign Villa’s main man.
Watkins knows what he has at Villa Park, though, in that he will start every game when fit and will lead the line against Europe’s elite next season. On the basis, there is thankfully no risk of him forcing an exit.
In other Aston Villa news, Goodman believes a rival club must be in serious financial mess if they intend to let a player join the Villans.
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