Aston Villa warned Ollie Watkins exit would be a 'massive blow' amid transfer interest

Aston Villa have been warned that losing Ollie Watkins this summer would be a “massive blow”.

Former Villa striker Dean Saunders says he would not be surprised to see the England international leave, with Manchester United among the clubs linked with the forward.

Watkins, who represented England at the World Cup this summer, endured an inconsistent campaign before finishing strongly, scoring 13 goals in his final 16 appearances as Unai Emery’s side secured a fourth-place Premier League finish and lifted the Europa League.

“If Ollie Watkins left Villa, it would be a massive blow to the team,” former Villa striker Saunders told LiveFootballTickets.

“However, I can see exactly why top clubs like Liverpool and Man United are sniffing around him.

“Ollie is a manager’s dream. He works his socks off when his team don’t have possession, he runs in behind defences when they do, and he knows where the net is.

“He is a streaky scorer, and once you get him firing, he can get you seven in seven he’s that good. That kind of effort both on and off the ball with his scoring ability makes him one of the rarest types of strikers in the world. He’d be a real asset for any Premier League club.

“I think Villa have proven that for the right bid they will let anyone go. I wouldn’t be surprised if a ‘big club’ snapped up Ollie before the end of the window.”

Turkish giants Fenerbahce were reported to be weighing up a move for Villa’s all-time Premier League top scorer earlier this summer, with reports claiming they were considering a £30 million bid.

Watkins, who has two years remaining on his contract at Villa Park, has also been linked with a move to Manchester United.

There have been some major changes at Villa this summer, with Morgan Rogers and Youri Tielemans both leaving the club, while Lucas Digne is also expected to depart.

Villa have moved to replace Tielemans with Joao Gomes from Midlands rivals Wolves, while £52 million-rated Johan Manzambi has arrived to help fill the void left by Rogers.

Alejandro Garnacho has also joined on loan from Chelsea, with a conditional obligation to buy reportedly worth around £40 million.

Saunders, who became Villa's record signing when he joined from Liverpool in a £2.5 million deal in September 1992, believes financial regulations are impacting the club more than most.

He added: “Villa seem forced into becoming a selling club given the rules around spending in football at the moment, and it seems slightly unfair.

“It seems impossible for them to keep hold of their best players and build on what was a very good squad last season. When you have to sell your best players year after year, it makes the other players around the club think ‘why am I staying here? If I want to win trophies consistently, then I’ll have to move on’.

“It’s just such a shame for what is a fantastic club with great people around it. I go to a lot of Villa events, and over the past few seasons the numbers attending these events seemed to have just grown and grown, which is a credit to the club and what they’ve achieved on the pitch.

“The spending rules don’t seem completely fair at the moment, and it’s hitting Villa hardest of all.”