Gary Lineker wowed by ‘huge’ Ollie Watkins news amid Aston Villa exit talk
Gary Lineker has spoken out on Ollie Watkins at Aston Villa as exit rumours continue to build.
The England international has been strongly linked with a departure from Villa Park after a difficult campaign at times.
Marcus Rashford had been utilised ahead of the 29-year-old until he picked up an injury, which could see him ruled out for the season.
Despite this, links to a potential departure have continued to build for Watkins, with Lineker now sharing his reaction to the latest developments at Villa Park.
Lineker gushes over Watkins at Aston Villa
Villa are heading into a run-in to help secure Champions League football and need to win every game to give themselves a fighting chance.
This is exactly what Unai Emery’s side were able to do against Bournemouth on Saturday (10 May) with a 1-0 win away at the Vitality.
The three points came courtesy of Watkins, who netted deep into first-half added time, applying a deft touch to a Morgan Rogers cross to find the bottom corner.
This saw the Englishman overtake Gabby Agbonlahor as Villa’s leading Premier League scorer on a perfect evening’s work for the striker.
Given how much discussion of an exit has surrounded the ex-Brentford man, Lineker was wowed by his goal and spoke out on its importance on Match of the Day (10 May).
He said: “Huge goal for Ollie Watkins, not just for the team but for him personally as well.”
Ex-Villa keeper Shay Given was in agreement, as he added: “Obviously broke Gabby Agbonlahor’s record at Aston Villa, so brilliant goal, an important goal as well. The Champions League race is what it’s all about for Villa.
“Every good striker gets across their centre half, and it’s a fantastic touch from Watkins, you just see a little nick here, and gives Kepa absolutely no chance at all. It’s a brilliant finish, it’s a big goal.”
Watkins sale represents risk at Aston Villa
If the win against the Cherries proves anything to the B6 faithful, it is that they may not be where they are right now without the striker.
Watkins has been linked to Arsenal ahead of the summer, but that hasn’t stopped him from contributing to an excellent level for the Villans.
This has seen the number 11 contribute to 30 goals in all competitions after playing his part in 40 strikes throughout last campaign.
| Stat | 2024/25 | 2023/24 |
| Appearances | 52 | 53 |
| Goals | 17 | 27 |
| Assists | 13 | 13 |
It is fair to say that this is a more than positive record for the Englishman, regardless of how many chances he misses.
Losing him in the summer could prove to be a mistake, as a replacement may not provide even close to his level of success at Villa Park.