Liverpool are preparing for Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa as Arne Slot makes his move

The Villa man is currently battling it out with Ivan Toney to be Harry Kane’s understudy with England. An impressive euro could see his value and stock rise yet, which would leave the Villa Park side scrambling to keep hold of Watkins as they prepare for a European campaign.

Watkins moved to Villa from Brentford for an initial record fee of £28 million. He has since proven his worth and would command a considerable return, with Unai Emery having to look at potential alternatives should the club end up selling his asset.

The man from the Villa showed no desire to leave. When penning his new deal, the striker said: “I feel this is the best place for me to play football. I still have a lot to achieve here.”

Villa, whose ambitions are clear, have previously warned of interest in their top stars. Arsenal were keen on Douglas Luiz, but the Midlands club rejected offers and this week tied Emery down to a new five-year deal to keep him in the dugout.

Liverpool, meanwhile, are set for a potential final third reshuffle, with questions looming over a host of options. Beyond Nunez, Cody Gakpo is another man who needs to consistently hit, as does Luis Diaz. Mo Salah’s long-term future is unclear, with his contract terminated and talk of a switch to Saudi Arabia.

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