Ollie Watkins ‘played his final Aston Villa game’ at Villa Park with exit lined up
Ollie Watkins is a popular player at Aston Villa, but he now faces an uncertain future after developments in recent months.
Watkins has been a reliable striker for several seasons and is now Villa’s all-time top scorer in Premier League history.
However, the England international could leave Villa this summer as tension grows over his future, with the striker unhappy after surprisingly losing his place in the team mid-season.
Unai Emery snubbed Watkins in both games against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals, and it hasn’t been forgotten.
Watkins ready to quit Villa Park
Tony Cascarino has now highlighted Watkins’ omissions against PSG as a potential driving force behind the striker leaving Villa Park this summer.
Aston Villa won their final home game of the season at Villa Park as they recorded a crucial victory over Tottenham, and Watkins started and provided an assist.
However, speaking on talkSPORT, Cascarino claimed that Watkins could seek a move away this summer.
| Aston Villa | Games played (All competitions) | Goals | Assists |
| Watkins | 224 | 87 | 41 |
“What happened against PSG in the Champions League, where he played 20, maybe 30 minutes of football in the two games – for someone who has done a hell of a lot there, I feel in his head, his time has come to an end at Villa,” he stated.
“He may not feel that he is a guarantee. It’s only my gut feeling, because he spoke openly about how upset he was, and rightly so.
“He should not have been left out in those games – maybe one in the away game, but certainly not in the second leg at Villa Park. I think that was a bit of a knife to the chest.”
Emery to blame if Watkins forces Aston Villa exit
Losing Watkins would be a huge blow this summer, whether he is still a guaranteed starter or not, as replacing someone as reliable as the 29-year-old will prove to be very difficult.
If Watkins does push for a move away, the decision to bench him against PSG will be seen as the deciding moment in his Villa future, and Emery will have to shoulder the blame for it.
Villa would have benefited from having Watkins in the team, with January loan signing Marcus Rashford failing to convince as a number nine in both games.
With Jhon Duran also sold for mega-money mid-season, Emery and Monchi could be on the lookout for two high-profile striker signings within a matter of weeks.
Watkins has been an incredible servant for Villa, and deserved better treatment in their two biggest games in recent history, and Emery will have to replace him well if he ends up leaving.
Arsenal have been sniffing around recently, and they could strike while the iron is hot.