West Ham could lodge summer bid for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins
West Ham are reportedly keen to sign Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins in the summer.
According to a report from The Guardian, the 26-year-old has emerged as a “key target” for the club.
The Hammers made an enquiry about him in January, and they could lodge a formal bid for him in the summer.
Interestingly, Villa boss Steven Gerrard is open to selling him in the summer. The Villans will demand a fee in the region of £50m for the forward.
Good buy
Watkins has impressed heavily since joining Villa from Brentford.
The striker has scored 11 goals for club and country this season and has made huge strides in recent years.
There is a high chance he could be selected in the England squad for the World Cup later this year.
He is a mobile and energetic striker, who can operate as a lone striker and has the physical presence to occupy the opposition defence.
Watkins has shown that he is good enough to play at this level, and in theory, should be a good buy for the club.
After Villa’s 4-0 win against Southampton in May, Gerrard hailed him as “untouchable” for his brilliant performance [BBC Sport].
The Hammers badly need to sign a striker this summer. Michail Antonio remains the only striker at the club, and there is no back-up option for him.
The 32-year-old forward needs more competition upfront and Watkins can provide that. However, his price tag seems to be on the higher side.
Is he worth £50m? At that price, there are better options available in the market.
In other West Ham news, ExWHUemployee has named the “main winger” West Ham want to sign in the summer.
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