Aston Villa are bracing for what could be the most painful departure of a turbulent transfer window, with striker Ollie Watkins edging closer to a move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal before next Tuesday's deadline.
Al-Hilal have tabled an offer close to £40m for the 30-year-old, but that figure falls well short of Villa's valuation, meaning negotiations remain far from complete. Manager Unai Emery acknowledged last week that Watkins could leave the club, though no party has confirmed a deal is imminent.
Al-Hilal, who brought in Crysensio Summerville from West Ham in July and recently loaned out Darwin Nunez to Diriyah, would still need to offload another overseas player to make space for Watkins under squad regulations, adding further complexity to any potential transfer.
Watkins has reportedly been training away from the main group after an extended break following the World Cup, and sources suggest he has communicated his desire to leave to Villa's hierarchy. Neither the player nor his representatives have made any public statement, though he is understood to be receptive to a switch to the Middle East.
Questions remain over Emery's stance on the situation. When asked by Sky Sports why Watkins was absent from Villa's squad against Brighton, the manager offered only a cryptic