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Sources: Ollie Watkins has agreed £37.5m Aston Villa deal
Striker Ollie Watkins has become the top earner at Aston Villa after agreeing a new contract last month, sources have told Football Insider.
It is believed the 27-year-old is now earning £150,000-a-week with the Midlands giants.
The forward finalised terms running until June 2028 to follow in the footsteps of other top-performing Villa stars and land a new and improved deal.
Watkins was the subject of interest from Premier League challengers Arsenal as his old deal with Unai Emery’s side ran down.
But the England international put pen to paper on a contract worth £37.5million in total across the length of the deal.
A well-placed source has told Football Insider that Emery is a “huge fan” of Watkins and wants to build his attack for the years to come around the ex-Brentford man.
The forward has followed the likes of John McGinn and Ezri Konsa by pledging his future to Villa.
He has started the new campaign in stellar form, notching nine goals and five assists across 16 appearances in all competitions.
That form has earned him an England recall, and he returned to the Three Lions side with a goal in the victory over Australia in October.
Watkins joined Villa in 2020 for a reported then-club-record fee of £28million.
He is the undisputed main starter for Emery’s side, with Jhon Duran currently the only backup forward at Villa Park.
Aston Villa are next in action against Nottingham Forest on Sunday (5 November).
They also face AZ Alkmaar in the Europa Conference League next week (9 November).
In other news, Aston Villa to accept forward offer after Emery green light.