Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested in signing Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins next summer.
Spurs’ new managerial director Fabio Paratici is considering centre-forward options in the light of Harry Kane’s uncertain future at the club. Despite the north London club keeping hold of Kane amidst heavy interest from Manchester City in the summer, there are still doubts about his continuity beyond this season.
According to Spanish news outlet Fichajes, Tottenham are eyeing Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins as Nuno Espirito Santo looks to bolster his attacking options.
Having signed for Aston Villa last summer from Brentford, Ollie Watkins, 25, has had no problems whatsoever in adapting to the demands of Premier League football. He enjoyed an excellent debut campaign in the English top-flight, scoring 14 goals and supplying five assists in 37 games, most notably scoring an eye-catching hat-trick in Villa’s 7-2 win over Liverpool at Villa Park.
Watkins’ impressive performances earned him a call up to the England squad for 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against San Marino, Albania and Poland in March. He made his Three Lions debut against San Marino and subsequently netted in the 5-0 victory at the Wembley Stadium.
The 25-year-old striker is yet to open his account for the new campaign but played a crucial role in helping Dean Smith’s Villa beat Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Ollie Watkins to Tottenham – A reliable attacking option for Nuno?
Tottenham were overwhelmed 3-1 by Arsenal in the north London derby at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, handing Nuno Espirito Santo a third straight defeat in the Premier League. To make matters worse, Spurs have conceded three goals in each of the last three league games without response.
While making defensive alterations is the need of the hour, Nuno cannot ignore Spurs’ problems going forward with Harry Kane completely out of nick and the likes of Lucas Moura and Steven Bergwijn yet to produce consistent performances.
Son Heung-min has been the rare bright spark in the Tottenham attack, but if the club are to move forward and challenge for trophies, signing a striker has to be prioritised by Nuno. To that end, Ollie Watkins would be an ideal fit at Tottenham.
Having started his career as a left-winger at Exeter City, Watkins has moulded himself into a striker since his final season with Brentford, where he netted 25 times in 46 Championship games in 2019/20. Agile with top work ethic and clever movement, the three-cap England international can hold the ball up to bring his teammates into play, run into channels and get in the box to finish off chances.
The 25-year-old is a strong and physical striker who is deadly with the ball at his feet or on his head. Watkins is not only a clinical goal-scorer but also contributes with assists as well as helping his team defensively, with his high pressing and determination to win the ball back from the opponents.
At 25, the former Brentford man has the qualities to thrive in Nuno’s system at Spurs, whilst potentially being a replacement for Kane. Thus, Tottenham must do everything in their powers to sign Watkins from Brentford in the summer of 2022.