Ollie Watkins is poised to travel to Saudi Arabia this week to clinch his £50million move to Al Hilal – paving the way for Nicolas Jackson to join Aston Villa for a fee of up to £65m.
Watkins will collect a huge pay rise when he moves to the Pro League while Jackson is set to reunite with Villa boss Unai Emery after leaving Chelsea.
Jackson, 25, is due for a medical this week and could make his Villa debut against Arsenal on Monday.
The end to the Watkins saga will be a relief for all concerned. Watkins did not play against Brighton last Sunday, despite being Villa’s only fit striker, and the team were beaten 4-0. Emery did little to dispel the notion that Watkins had chosen not to play.
Ollie Watkins is poised to travel to Saudi Arabia to seal a £50m move to Al Hilal, while Nicolas Jackson is set for a medical at Aston Villa
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has seen several key figures leave the club this summer
He becomes the fifth senior player to leave Villa this summer after Youri Tielemans, Lucas Digne, Morgan Rogers and Ezri Konsa. Goalkeeper Emi Martinez has also been offered to Chelsea.
Daily Mail Sport reported last month how Jackson was interested in a potential switch to Villa to work with Emery again, after their time together at Villarreal.
Jackson’s name came up during conversations between Chelsea and Villa centred on Morgan Rogers, who moved to Stamford Bridge for a club-record £117m. Alejandro Garnacho joined Villa on loan from Chelsea this summer also, leaving only a permanent move as a possibility for Jackson due to rules.
Villa have long been admirers of Jackson, the 25-year-old who has also had interest from clubs across England and Europe, such as Tottenham Hotspur and Atletico Madrid.
