RIYADH: England forward Ollie Watkins has left Aston Villa to join Al-Hilal, his new Saudi club announced on Sunday.
The deal is worth a reported £50 million ($68 million) and follows Villa’s signing of Senegal forward Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea.
Al-Hilal said the 30-year-old Watkins had signed a three-year deal and will be in line to play in their league match against Al-Ahli on Tuesday.
He joins a squad including Crysencio Summerville, who signed from West Ham earlier in the transfer window.
Watkins has scored seven goals in 24 appearances for England.
Villa coach Unai Emery had criticized Watkins for refusing to play in last weekend’s 4-0 defeat to Brighton to open their Premier League campaign as he sought to force through his move to Al Hilal.
But Emery said on Friday that there were no hard feelings.
“Last week I was a little bit disappointed. I was disappointed, but we spoke about it, and now (it’s) clear, he is a fantastic player, fantastic guy and one mistake is not closing all the good things he did here,” Emery said ahead of Arsenal’s visit to Villa Park on Monday.
Watkins began his career at Exeter City in League Two before he moved to Brentford in the Championship.
He then joined Villa, where he spent six fruitful seasons, culminating in a Europa League victory last season.
