According to Telegraph reporter Sam Wallace, Al-Hilal want to sign Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins and are prepared to offer him a lucrative contract worth £12m annually (pre-tax). However, all four previous offers from the Saudi club have been rejected by Villa, and Al-Hilal will need to increase their bid above the £45m offer rejected last week to make the deal happen. Due to uncertainty over his future, Watkins missed Villa's opening match against Brighton, and the club has begun searching for a replacement, considering Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson. Mateta is in the final year of his contract with Crystal Palace, but the club is reluctant to let him go easily.

The 30-year-old Watkins has been a primary transfer target for Al-Hilal this summer, and the Saudi club's four previous offers have all been rejected by Villa. To push the deal forward, they will need to offer more than the £45m bid rejected last week.

Should Al-Hilal make a breakthrough on the transfer fee, they are understood to be prepared to offer Watkins an extremely attractive personal contract.

The pre-tax salary of £12m annually means that if Watkins were to earn the same net income the UK, he would need a weekly wage of over £400,000, as the UK tax system would significantly reduce his actual take-home pay. Additionally, Saudi league contracts typically include numerous bonus clauses, which could further increase his total earnings.

Watkins's future remains one of Aston Villa's major concerns heading into the final week of the summer transfer window. Watkins did not play in Villa's 0-4 defeat to Brighton in the Premier League opener. After the match, manager Unai Emery questioned the striker about his absence.

Emery also declined to confirm whether Watkins had chosen not to be available for selection. Last season, Watkins contributed to Villa's Europa League triumph and made two appearances for England during the World Cup period. He has since resumed training with the team, though his future remains unclear.

If Watkins leaves, Villa have already begun their search for a replacement, indicating the club is preparing contingency plans.

Villa previously offered Crystal Palace approximately £18m for Jean-Philippe Mateta, but Palace deemed the offer insufficient. Villa subsequently submitted another bid exceding £20m, with complex bonus clauses bringing the theoretical maximum to £30m, but this still failed to convince Palace.

Villa are now expected to make Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson their top forward target. Chelsea are demanding £65m for the player.

Emery has informed Villa's players that they will have Tuesday and Wednesday off this week. Watkins is understood to have returned to the training ground on Monday, the day after the Brighton defeat, to train.

Mateta has scored in double figures in the Premier League for the past three seasons, and if Crystal Palace lose him late in the transfer window, finding an adequate replacement will be difficult.

Mateta is currently in the final year of his contract with Crystal Palace, and the club exercised their renewal option last year. The player previously attempted to challenge the validity of this option, and if successful, it could create similar contractual disputes between other clubs and players.

However, as FIFA is not currently handling the matter, Mateta's contract with Crystal Palace remains valid.

AI翻訳。

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