special- Aston Villa are set to pursue a deal for Brentford transfer Calum Wilson after securing the signature of coveted Brentford striker Ollie Watkins.
Watkins, 24, was in superb form last season and his 26 goals helped the Bees finish third in the Championship. However, after losing in the play-off final, the striker is keen to leave the club and the Premier League hosts are interested.
Watkins forms part of Brentford’s feared BMW front line/Catherine Ivel/Getty Images
Fulham, West Ham, Leeds, Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Brighton have all made inquiries but Villa are leading the race for Watkins’ signature. Manager Dan Smith is a big fan, having previously brought him back to Brentford in 2017 for around £1.8million.
Since then, the forward’s price has skyrocketed, with the Bees demanding £25m for their top scorer. Despite his hefty price tag, Villa are confident of getting their man.
A source confirmed to 90 Minutes: “Dan Smith is very excited about getting Watkins, he thinks he can play a big part in taking Villa to the next level.”
Smith and Watkins previously worked together at Brentford/Warren Little/Getty Images.
Villa are also keen to poach Callum Wilson from relegated Bournemouth. The 28-year-old has scored 22 goals and provided 13 assists in 65 appearances over the past two Premier League seasons.
Once again, Villa will face stiff competition for Wilson’s services. 90 Minutes understands that Newcastle, Crystal Palace and West Ham are all keen on signing the England international. Despite fierce competition, Villa’s interest is genuine. Sources close to the club believe they want to sign both Wilson and Watkins as they look to bolster their goal-shy frontline.
However, Newcastle hold the advantage. The Magpies are set to include former Cherries favorite Matt Ritchie as a counterweight to a potential Wilson deal. Ritchie has won a number of promotions from the Championship, making it an attractive proposition for new Bournemouth boss Jason Tindall.