Ollie Watkins joins Al Hilal as Villa agree Harwood-Bellis transfer
Aston Villa have completed Ollie Watkins's £50m sale to Al Hilal and agreed in principle a £30m deal to sign Southampton centre-back Taylor Harwood-Bellis, according to Sky Sports transfer news. The double move ends Watkins's six-year Villa Park spell and gives Unai Emery a replacement for Ezri Konsa before the transfer window closes.
Watkins ended a stay that made him the first player in Aston Villa's modern era to score more than 100 goals for the club. He found the net 108 times in 278 appearances across all competitions, with his final outing coming in May's 3-0 Europa League final win over Freiburg.
Key Takeaways
- Watkins joined Al Hilal for £50m after six years and 108 goals at Aston Villa.
- Villa agreed a £30m package with Southampton for defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis.
- Nicolas Jackson has already signed as Watkins's replacement for up to £65m.
- Harwood-Bellis is expected to undergo a medical on Monday before a five-year deal.
- The centre-back will fill the gap left by Ezri Konsa, who joined Arsenal for £51m.
Why did Ollie Watkins leave Aston Villa for Al Hilal?
The England striker's departure followed a turbulent final week at the club. Watkins apologised to team-mates after missing Aston Villa's 4-0 opening-day defeat at Brighton, an absence Unai Emery addressed bluntly by telling reporters to "ask him."
On Friday, Emery revealed he had said goodbye to Watkins "with a huge hug and a small cry," adding that the forward had always shown good behaviour at the club despite his mistake. Watkins confirmed the exit on Instagram, writing that "six amazing years has come to an end" and signing off with "once a villain, always a villain."
Exeter City, where Watkins came through the academy, said they expect to receive a sell-on payment under FIFA's solidarity mechanism following the transfer. For more on high-profile football moves, see our Celebrity Breaking News hub.
What are the terms of Aston Villa's Taylor Harwood-Bellis deal?
According to Sky Sports News, Aston Villa have agreed in principle a £30m package with Southampton for the 24-year-old centre-back. The structure breaks down as £25m guaranteed plus £5m in add-ons, with final details still being sorted between the clubs.
The Athletic reported that Harwood-Bellis has been granted permission to undergo a medical at Villa on Monday ahead of signing a proposed five-year contract. Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano also confirmed a verbal agreement for the same fee structure.
Villa previously had two bids rejected before reaching this breakthrough. The club had offered £18m plus add-ons and then an improved package that still fell short of Southampton's asking price. Harwood-Bellis, who has 134 Saints appearances and one England cap from 2024, had been left out of Southampton's last three fixtures amid transfer uncertainty.
How will Villa reshape their squad after losing Watkins and Konsa?
The Harwood-Bellis signing would mark Villa's ninth summer addition as Emery rebuilds after a wave of departures. Ezri Konsa's £51m move to Arsenal created the defensive vacancy that Emery identified Harwood-Bellis as his preferred option to fill.
Up front, Nicolas Jackson has already arrived from Chelsea in a club-record deal that could rise to £65m. The former Blues striker takes over from Watkins, who scored more Premier League goals for Villa than any other player in the club's history.
Emery admitted Villa are entering a "new chapter" after the departures, but the manager drove both the Watkins exit and the push for Harwood-Bellis as he prepares a squad for Champions League football this season.