Al-Hilal makes official bid for Aston Villa's Watkins

Aston Villa's summer is getting complicated. After losing Morgan Rogers to Chelsea, Youri Tielemans to Manchester United, and Lucas Digne to Paris Saint-Germain, a bigger threat has emerged: Al-Hilal under Simone Inzaghi has submitted an official bid for Ollie Watkins.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Saudi club has offered €45 million plus add-ons for the 30-year-old striker, a cornerstone of Unai Emery's project. Watkins, who scored 16 goals in 37 Premier League appearances last season, is not dismissing the idea of a move to Saudi Arabia, though the final decision rests with the Birmingham club.

Emery's defence

The Aston Villa, recently beaten by PSG in the UEFA Super Cup (2-1), could struggle if they fail to keep their attacking star. There is some activity on the inbound front: the club is finalizing the arrival of Aaron Wan-Bissaka (28), loaned by relegated West Ham with a mandatory purchase option at the end of the season starting this weekend in England.