Ollie Watkins

[LeeB]

I know there is very time left in this window to bring someone in.
But we have seen this before, specifically with Benteke.
He was the ‘best in a generation’ and we allowed him to go to realise the huge fee we got.

We have Rogers and Malen who ‘could’ play up front and if we can bring another in then maybe we can get through the remainder of the season and go big in the summer ?

I’m just playing devils advocate and wondering if it might be possible.

For the avoidance of doubt…..I love Ollie and definitely don’t want him to leave.

Even Benteke didn't leave in January when we were Blues and had no money.

[PaulWinch again]

It would be crazy, absolutely crazy, to let him go. I know people get upset about the missed chances, but what he does bring - in terms of goals, assists, and general work - is absolutely exceptional as a package. It is really hard to find a striker that consistently has a positive impact on the side. The odds us managing to fill that gap are incredibly remote. It’s bizarre how little some people value him - here’s a clue a team that is better than us want him.

[amfy]

From listening to Arsenal fans on Talkshyte, they seem reluctant to spend megabucks on Watkins as he is in his 30th year and has a history of missing good chances. They already have a number of players who can do that.

Ollie offers Villa so much more than just goals and I hope he stays.

They are ready to slate him before he even gets there. I’m hoping this is a consideration for him.

[Dave]

They are ready to slate him before he even gets there

Seems like quite a few of our lot are the same on Joao Felix.

[dekko]

I'm feeling relatively relaxed about this, because selling Watkins now would amount to throwing in the towel on the entire season and I don't think our management team are inclined to do that.

Wouldn't surprise me if we sold him in the summer though.

[baddowvillans]

To sell Watkins now and try and get by using Rogers and Malen would completely destroy Aston Villas season and cause a massive backlash from fans.  It's unthinkable and if it were to happen would probably also lead to Emerys departure.  Why stay at a club who can't hang on to their best players?

[AV84]

I wouldn't have been happy selling Watkins even if Duran was staying. The fact Duran is 99% gone, there's absolutely no way we should be allowing this. Unless we've magically got Isak or Halland to jump ship overnight, our season would be dead.

Also, the fact Duran is gone should add a fair bit onto the asking price for Ollie. He's now become so much more valuable to us, and if another team wants to disrupt our season, they can pay for it.

[The Edge]

From listening to Arsenal fans on Talkshyte, they seem reluctant to spend megabucks on Watkins as he is in his 30th year and has a history of missing good chances. They already have a number of players who can do that.

Ollie offers Villa so much more than just goals and I hope he stays.

They are ready to slate him before he even gets there. I’m hoping this is a consideration for him.

Arsenal fans for you. The worst fanbase in football these days.

[Clive W]

Extract from Percy In today’s DT

“There was always too much noise around Durán. Even if, for example, Ollie Watkins had been allowed to leave for Arsenal this month, it was feared that speculation about Durán’s future would resurface in every transfer window.”

Suggests that Ollie will still be with us

[LeeB]

Of course he will.

[caster troy]

I can maybe see it happening in the summer if we don't make the Champions League and we decide to let him leave on our terms and rebuild. But lets worry about that if it happens.

[AV84]

From that, I wonder if it was a case that we were open to letting Ollie go, as the two striker thing wasn't working, but Duran threw his toys again so we've had to let him go instead?

[Brend'Watkins]

With Arsenal’s bid before the game on Wednesday and it pissing us all off, and then Ollie’s subsequent typical Ollie performance, assist, missed chances and a goal along with a full 90 minutes of him giving it everything it was reassuring that after his goal celebration he slapped the badge on his shirt. I know they all do it but with Ollie I get the feeling he genuinely means it. It was very fitting that we sang his name as we did.

[LeeB]

From that, I wonder if it was a case that we were open to letting Ollie go, as the two striker thing wasn't working, but Duran threw his toys again so we've had to let him go instead?

I think there was an element of that but it was always weighted with thinking Duran would still be playing up if Watkins had left, we'd made him captain, and installed a gold throne on the team bus for him.

[Percy McCarthy]

From that, I wonder if it was a case that we were open to letting Ollie go, as the two striker thing wasn't working, but Duran threw his toys again so we've had to let him go instead?

I think there was an element of that but it was always weighted with thinking Duran would still be playing up if Watkins had left, we'd made him captain, and installed a gold throne on the team bus for him.

It was the gold throne on the coach that made him want to leave. He wanted to be carried everywhere in a sedan chair.