Ollie Watkins is setting his sights even higher after a standout season for Aston Villa (Image: Getty Images)
Following an outstanding season under Unai Emery, where striker Ollie Watkins led the team in goals and assists, Aston Villa qualified for the Champions League for the following campaign.
Ollie Watkins says he’ll be back next season, but he wants to compete at the European Championship first.
The striker for Aston Villa, who helped lead Unai Emery’s team to Champions League qualification, called his comeback a “breakthrough.” In the Premier League, Watkins scored 19 goals and received the “Playmaker of the Year” award for his 13 assists.
However, he was unable to surpass the 20-goal mark and become Villa’s first striker to do so since Peter Withe in the team’s 1981 First Division title-winning campaign. Watkins hopes to play with the Three Lions for a portion of the summer, but he thinks he can do even better.
“It was disappointing to end such a great season at Crystal Palace on such a low note,” he stated. However, we have been outstanding and incredibly consistent throughout the season, and we finished where we rightfully should—with Villa Park hosting Champions League games.
“Next year will be extremely memorable. Both individually and collectively, what transpired at Palace was subpar, but this doesn’t sum up our season. We’ve had an excellent year.
“In terms of myself, I’ve been reliable. Not much more can be done by me. Reaching 20 goals was the goal, but there’s always next season. Has anything significant changed? Indeed. But given all the effort I’ve put in, I wasn’t shocked by how well I performed. I have no doubt that the upcoming season will be even better.
Watkins, 28, is one of Harry Kane’s backup players and has spent the last three years in and around Gareth Southgate’s team. Watkins has the same amount of goals scored as Dominic Solanke of Bournemouth, but his assist total puts him in the lead to travel to Germany the following month.
He stated: “It is difficult to ignore the noise that is created whenever you score goals and things go your way. To compete in the Euros is my goal. English strikers are scarce in the Premier League. I’m optimistic because there are plenty of wingers but not many center-forwards. That’s what I’ve been putting a lot of effort into. We will need to wait and observe.
Watkins scored 19 times and provided 13 assists in a brilliant Premier League campaign ( Image: Getty Images)
The forward did not give the impression that he had any thoughts other than his future at Villa when he answered questions about his chances for the upcoming campaign. There have already been rumors that Manchester United is interested in him.
However, he only signed a new five-year contract this season, and with Champions League play on the horizon, he will be difficult to shake off manager Unai Emery’s grasp. According to Watkins, more teams should be strong contenders the following season.
“Many teams are in competition,” he continued. “Some say Chelsea has had a difficult year, but in my opinion, they haven’t. They’ll have increased power. Crystal Palace’s new manager has them on the firing line. Up there is Tottenham. We have to be prepared for the challenging season that lies ahead.
