Ollie Watkins potential next club

Ollie Watkins has been at the centre of growing transfer speculation in the last 12 months and it looks increasingly likely that Aston Villa will consider offloading the striker in the summer transfer window.

Villa's struggles operating within the confines of profit and sustainability rules have been well documented and with Watkins' current deal expiring in June 2028, the Midlands club are reportedly preparing to cash in on the England international as they look to fund their summer business.

A return of nine goals and one assist in the Premier League is a significant decline from the 16 goals and eight assists Watkins produced last season, and Unai Emery may consider it as the perfect opportunity to revitalise his forward line ahead of a possible return to the UEFA Champions League.

Should Watkins leave Villa Park, we take a look at the clubs that will be queuing up for his services.

Everton

David Moyes has made no secret of his desire to bolster his forward options amid Everton's struggles in front of goal and Watkins would be deemed a considerable upgrade on his current striking options of Thierno Barry and Beto.

Everton, like Villa, have encountered severe PSR difficulties in the past, but their most recent accounts displayed significant improvement on the accounting front and Moyes will be hopeful that a top-half finish will provide him with a war chest to enhance his squad in the summer.

Whether Watkins would be enticed by a move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium remains to be seen, especially after he was linked to Arsenal and Manchester United last summer.

Newcastle United

Newcastle were another club credited with an interest in Watkins in the summer but after the failed attempts to sign Hugo Ekitike and Benjamin Sesko, they ultimately acquired Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa. Despite a smooth transition for Woltemade, both captures have failed to live up to expectations on Tyneside.

The next few months are set to be a pivotal period in defining the direction Newcastle want to head in, and a striker of Watkins' calibre would certainly bolster their current options

Other positions are likely to take priority for Newcastle at the end of the campaign but with a reported fee of £30m, Watkins might be too good an opportunity to pass up.

Milan

Milan have also been tooted as a potential destination for Watkins and the 30-year-old may be tempted by the challenge in a foreign league competing for domestic honours.

The Italian giants have spent lavishly on Santiago Gimenez and Christopher Nkunku, and yet Massimiliano Allegri's side have been goal shy in comparison to their city rivals Inter, who have scored 24 goals more than the Rossoneri despite the two clubs sitting first and second in Serie A.

Milan are in a strong financial position after recording a third consecutive year of profit and they may be able to construct a package that both Villa and Watkins can't refuse.

Arsenal

Watkins has been linked with Arsenal for some time now, but their apparent interest cooled when the Gunners signed Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP.

However, with Gyokeres failing to reach the heights anticipated and Gabriel Jesus' role in the team facing increasing scrutiny, Mikel Arteta may be tempted to dive into the striker market once more and source a reliable Premier League goalscorer.