Watkins upgrade: £60m Premier League star could be on his way to Aston Villa

The 2026 London Marathon saw Sabastian Sawe become the first person to record a sub-two-hours marathon, and while Aston Villa‘s players might not have been able to match the Kenyan superstar’s record-breaking time, they will know what it means to battle through an interminable long-distance race.

This has been a season of endurance for Unai Emery‘s side, who have paced themselves throughout the campaign and weathered the storms that arrived after that incredible winning run during the autumn.

The stakes have only increased since the winter, with Premier League rivals breathing down the Villa’s neck and Emery watching his players struggle to recover the same fluency and sharpness that set them up for success.

But Aston Villa are sitting pretty in fifth place, eight points in front of Brighton & Hove Albion. Barring a late collapse, Villa Park will turn on the Champions League lights, and Emery can push for an upgrade on Ollie Watkins.

Premier League star could replace Ollie Watkins

Watkins hasn’t enjoyed his best season in an Aston Villa shirt, but he’s still played an important part at number nine, scoring 11 goals and providing two assists across 33 matches. The England striker has also been instrumental in Europe, turning on the tap as Emery pushes for another European title for his collection.

However, aged 30, there’s a sense that Watkins could be on the move this summer, with AC Milan among the clubs to have shown interest in recent months. Some reports even suggest that Watkins wants to take on a fresh challenge.

According to a report from The Times last week, Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush is on Aston Villa’s radar ahead of the summer transfer window.

Marmoush, 27, hasn’t managed to make it work at the Etihad Stadium, but he arrived in the Premier League as one of the most exciting goalscorers in Europe, and with the title challengers willing to let him leave this summer, this may be an opportunity that the Villans cannot let pass them by.

Why Marmoush would upgrade on Watkins for Aston Villa

Marmoush isn’t the first talented player to have failed to hit the anticipated heights in a Pep Guardiola system. He has the quality to succeed in the Premier League; after all, we’ve seen the Egyptian tear English defences to shreds since joining from Eintracht Frankfurt for £60m.

Last season, Marmoush did enjoy comparatively prolific returns in the Premier League, albeit only starting 14 times in the Premier League.

But his fortunes have dried up this year, just one lonely goal added to his Premier League tally. This is a far cry from the form that saw Man City pay the big bucks for his signature.

He clearly feels unconfident within Pep’s system, untrusted by the Spanish coach. By moving to Villa Park and starring for Emery, Marmoush could finally return to the form that saw him score 37 goals and provide 20 assists across only 67 appearances for his former German employers.

He has a hunger for success, having struggled thus far in England, and in that, he could emerge as the perfect Watkins successor too. Not only a dangerous, clinical goalscorer, Marmoush is a dynamic athlete, willing to dribble forward and bamboozle defenders with fleet footwork.

Only a few years ago, Argentinian journalist Roy Nemer hailed him as “the best forward in the world“, so Villa could do a lot worse.

Marmoush is too talented to languish on the sidelines through the prime of his Premier League career, and with Watkins seemingly winding down, a one-way ticket to Villa Park could be perfect for all parties involved, ensuring Aston Villa arm themselves with enough quality to impress in the Champions League next season.

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