Aston Villa fans finally saw Ollie Watkins make his England debut when he came off the bench in the 12th minute against Panama on Saturday.
The 30-year-old had never made a World Cup squad before the tournament and was not used as a substitute in the first two group games against Croatia and Panama.
Although he failed to score in his short spell in America, it was still a great moment for the Villans to play the Three Lions on the world stage.
Watkins is free after scoring 21 goals in 54 games in all competitions for Villa in the 2025/26 campaign, including a return of 16 goals in 37 Premier League appearances.
The England international will be turning 31 later this year, but it remains to be seen whether his goalscoring levels will decline as he moves into his 30s.
Aston Villa are considering a move to the Premier League
He has scored 108 goals in 278 appearances in all competitions for the club since leaving Brentford in the summer of 2020, providing a credible threat throughout his time at Villa Park.
Unai Emery may need to start thinking about what life will be like after Watkins’ fitness starts to wane, however, and the Spaniard is already looking for a long-term successor to the England international.
According to Fussball Daten, Aston Villa are one of the clubs looking to sign Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey in the transfer window.
The report says that the Villans are considering signing the Dutch player, who has scored three goals in the World Cup this summer, to strengthen their attack.
However, it added that Stuttgart, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are also in the race to snatch this Ajax star.
Fussball Daten explain that up to £47m could be needed to tempt the Black Cats into cashing in on their number nine, after qualifying for the Europa League by finishing seventh in the Premier League.
The beginning of the end for Ollie Watkins
As crazy as that may sound after scoring 21 goals last season, it could be the beginning of the end for Watkins as a regular starter for Villa if they do sign Brobbey this summer.
As the England international heads towards the end of his career, it remains to be seen how his game will be affected, as he relies on his movement and running to get out of the end line to create chances.
Brobbey is six years younger than Watkins and will arrive as a young player with the potential to lead Villa’s line for many years to come, just as the Englishman did when he signed for Brentford at the same age.
|
25/26 PL |
Brobby |
Watkins |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearance |
31 |
37 |
|
xG |
5.94 |
15.14 |
|
Goals |
7 |
16 |
|
xG difference |
+1.06 |
+0.86 |
|
Duels won per match |
3.6 |
3.2 |
|
Aerial duels won per game |
2.1 |
1.0 |
|
Aerial duel success rate |
47% |
39% |
The Dutchman is already the most physical and powerful player in the Premier League, as evidenced by his higher numbers in duels, especially in the air, compared to Watkins last season.
While he has only scored seven goals in the top flight for the Black Cats, Brobbey has not been given as many quality chances as the Villa striker has been given, given their xG total, and he could be very effective in a team that creates more chances.
His form in the Netherlands in the World Cup is proof that he can be a lethal goalscorer in a team that is determined to create chances regularly, since he has scored three goals in three games in this tournament so far.
Brobbey, who was described as a “danger” by journalist Josh Bunting, also scored 21 goals in 41 games for Ajax in the 2023/24 campaign, showing that he had been a consistent goalscorer at club level previously.
Therefore, signing the powerful Dutch striker could be the beginning of the end for Watkins as he is a very young striker who has the potential to develop into a number nine, given his physical condition and goal-scoring quality.
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