Al Hilal agree £51million Ollie Watkins transfer with Aston Villa set to sign Nicolas Jackson as immediate replacement

AL HILAL have agreed a transfer deal for Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins. The England international’s six-year stint with the Villans is set to come to an end. Al Hilal have agreed a transfer deal for Ollie Watkins Credit: Reuters Unai Emery has already lined up a replacement for Watkins Credit: Getty That is according to Fabrizio Romano, who claims the teams have hammered out a deal worth up to £50million. The deal marks an end to a drawn-out transfer saga this summer, with Unai Emery giving a cryptic answer when asked about his situation ahead of their Premier League opener. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! Watkins was absent from the matchday squad, with Villa falling to a 4-0 defeat in the fixture at Brighton’s Amex Stadium. But the coach will hope that he won’t be so shorthanded in the near future, as Villa have already agreed a deal to bring in Nicolas Jackson as Watkins’ successor. The Blues are working on finalising the last details for a switch worth £47.5m, rising to as much as £65m if certain add-ons are reached. The Senegalese striker spent last season on loan with Bayern Munich, who elected not to pursue a permanent deal at the end of the season. But with Joao Pedro and new signings Emanuel Emegha and Danny Welbeck already in the Stamford Bridge dressing room, it was clear Jackson would have to find a new home if he wanted regular minutes. He was subject to interest from a number of suitors, with Newcastle eyeing up a potential deal earlier this summer. Most read in Sport CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Jackson’s medical is penned in for Thursday Credit: Getty But Villa have won the race for his signature, and SunSport understands Jackson is set to undergo his medical on Thursday. That timeline means he could be available for their Arsenal clash on Monday if all goes smoothly. Comment now