Liverpool are eyeing a move for Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins this summer transfer window.
Ollie Watkins, 25, joined the Villans from Brentford as the club’s record signing in the summer and has mightily impressed with 14 goals and three assists in 33 appearances across all competitions. Four of those league goals have come in the encounters with Liverpool, including a sensational hat-trick in Aston Villa’s incredible 7-2 victory at Villa Park back in October.
On the back of his displays for Aston Villa, the 25-year-old also was called into the England squad by manager Gareth Southgate last month. Watkins scored on his debut for England, and his performances for his club and country have caught the eye of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
Liverpool’s front-three have misfired this season
Liverpool’s title defence hasn’t gone according to the plan chiefly due to a number of defensive injuries along with the misfiring nature of the attack. The front-three of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah have destroyed defences across Europe over the last couple of seasons, scoring plenty of goals for the Reds. However, they haven’t clicked together this term, managing just 33 league goals among them.
Firmino and Mane have not hit the heights as expected of them this term, with the latter ending his nine-game Premier League goal drought in the 1-1 draw with Leeds United at Elland Road on Monday. Salah is in the race for Golden Boot with 19 goals in 31 appearances but he hasn’t been at his blistering best that has royally impacted Liverpool going forward.
Summer signing Diogo Jota has been a breath of fresh air for the Reds’ attack. With 12 goals in all formats in his debut season, the Portuguese international has quickly become a fan favourite at Anfield. Nevertheless, with Liverpool scoring just 54 goals in 32 games and their famed trio having struggled to produce goals at a consistent rate this term, Klopp has to prioritise reinforcing his attack this summer.
Ollie Watkins would be a brilliant buy for the Reds
Ollie Watkins has enjoyed a solid debut season with Aston Villa, impressing with his pace, mobility and aerial prowess. He has played every minute of Premier League football this season, linking well with the likes of Jack Grealish, Bertrand Traore and Mahmoud Trezeguet.
While primarily a centre-forward, the 25-year-old can also play left out wide and such versatility will undoubtedly appeal to Klopp’s Liverpool. A clinical goalscorer—as demonstrated with his displays for Villa and Brentford in the Championship—Watkins would definitely bolster the Reds’ forward department, whilst bringing much-needed competition within the squad.
He has a fantastic technique, good turn of pace and is very intelligent with his game reading and positioning. The former Brentford star is a penalty-box poacher that could potentially score a lot more goals with the likes of Mane, Salah and Jota around him at Anfield. All in all, the Englishman’s natural abilities could make him a fantastic long-term investment for the Reds.
At 25, Watkins certainly has his best years ahead of him and could develop into one of the best strikers in the continent under the watchful guidance of Klopp. Thus, Liverpool must not hesitate to splash the cash and sign Watkins from Aston Villa.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
