By offering Ollie Watkins a new contract, Aston Villa is apparently prepared to stave off interest in the England striker.
On Sunday, the 27-year-old frontman scored his first goal of the Premier League campaign to help Unai Emery’s team defeat Chelsea 1-0 and climb to sixth position in the standings. After scoring a hat-trick in Villa’s 5-0 thrashing of Hibernian in a Europa Conference League play-off round matchup last month, Watkins now has four goals in all competitions.
Watkins got his first senior England cap two months later after scoring on his debut in a 5-0 victory against San Marino. Since moving to Villa from Brentford in a £28 million transfer in the summer of 2020, Watkins has scored 47 goals in 125 appearances across all competitions.
In recent months, a number of teams have been connected with a move for Watkins, but the Express and Star have now reported that Villa manager Emery has acknowledged the club are ‘in communication’ with the striker and his representation over a new contract.
The 3AM Verdict: Watkins’ performances under Emery have demonstrated he is a serious threat and presence when leading the attack. It doesn’t seem that long ago that some were thinking he may be moved on from Villa. Under the former Arsenal manager, Villa appear to be a club on the rise, thus bothThe parties would be eager to reach a settlement.
Given that Newcastle United is still struggling with Financial Fair Play rules, January should be “quieter” for the Magpies.
To prepare his team for a return to the Champions League, United manager Eddie Howe brought in players like Harvey Barnes, Sandro Tonali, and Tino Livramento during the summer transfer window. Key midfielder Bruno Guimaraes’ potential new contract has been the main story coming out of St. James’ Park lately, but journalist Ben Jacobs is doubtful whether the Brazil international will have any new team-mates when the winter trading period begins in January.
They may use some cover for Sven Botman, he said on The Debrief program. It makes sense that the contract of Bruno Guimaraes should be extended. Could they maybe look for more objectives? That might be something to think about in the summer.
But it’s crucial to realize that Financial Fair Play prevents Newcastle from going bankrupt. They cannot just change their business approach because they have previously entered Europe. Players may demand more salaries now that they play Champions League football, but Newcastle has done well to prevent having one star earner. They must be cautious, which is why I think January will be calmer for them.vvvvv
The 3AM Verdict: Newcastle had a difficult start to the Premier League season, but Sunday’s record-breaking victory at Sheffield United seemed to erase that. Eddie Howe’s team still has space for growth, but the club is conscious of the restrictions put in place by Financial Fair Play regulations. New signings will arrive in January and next summer, although it’s possible that they won’t cost as much as some people anticipate.
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