Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins celebrates against Everton
Reporter Pete O’Rourke has been reacting to the rumours linking Leeds United with a move for Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins.
The Lowdown: Watkins rumours
The Whites were thought to be monitoring Watkins over the summer and were also linked with a move back in 2020.
As we know, a transfer failed to materialise ahead of Jesse Marsch’s first full season in charge, with Watkins remaining in the Midlands.
Speculation over a January move to Elland Road has returned this month, with reports suggesting it may take a ‘huge sum of money to tempt Villa into selling’
The Latest: O’Rourke’s verdict
Talking to The Transfer Tavern, O’Rourke was asked about Watkins and Leeds, with the journalist describing the player as a ‘different striker to Patrick Bamford’.
“He’s a different striker to Patrick Bamford. He’s somebody who can run the channels work hard and play up there on his own as well as he has done for Aston Villa. Probably the worry for Leeds fans is that he’s (Ollie Watkins) maybe not prolific in front of goal.
“He gets a lot of chances but maybe doesn’t put away enough of those chances that he maybe should do.”
The Verdict: Unlikely
Watkins has had a tough start to the Premier League season, scoring just twice in 12 games. However, that is two more than Bamford, who is yet to net in 2022 due to injury issues and being out of form upon his return.
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Watkins could therefore be a smart addition, but with Unai Emery taking over from Steven Gerrard and Leeds’ current position in the table, a transfer could be unlikely, should the 26-year-old feature heavily in the new Villa manager’s plans and the Whites continue to struggle.
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