Ollie Watkins: The New Gun of the EPL
Ollie Watkins is the main striker for Aston Villa, a Premier League club. Let’s https://www.outsideprague.com/ take a deep dive into the biography and notable achievements of this player.
Ollie Watkins is playing exceptionally well for Aston Villa and is considered by many experts to be the new star striker for the Three Lions. Let’s delve into the background and career journey of this rising star, along with his collection of individual titles.
Ollie Watkins Player Profile
- Full Name: Olivier George Arthur Watkins
- Born: December 30, 1995
- Age: 29
- Nationality: English
- Height: 1.80 m (5’11”)
- Position: Striker
- Current Club: Aston Villa
- Shirt Number: 11
- National Team: England
Watkins’s Career Journey
Ollie Watkins was born on December 30, 1995, in Torquay, a coastal town in England. From a young age, Watkins showed the makings of a top footballer. He began his journey in the lower leagues before shining brightly in the Premier League.
The Starting Blocks at Exeter City At 11 years old, Watkins joined the youth academy of Exeter City, a team then playing in the second tier of English football. Through his dedication and talent, he made remarkable progress through the youth ranks and earned a club scholarship in 2012.
In 2014, Watkins made his official debut for Exeter City’s first team. In League Two, he didn’t get many chances to play and was loaned out to Weston-Super Mare for the rest of the season. At his new club, Watkins scored 10 goals in 25 appearances, making a strong impression before returning to Exeter at the end of the season. In the following season, Watkins gradually broke into Exeter’s starting lineup.
The star born in 1995 scored 10 goals in 22 appearances during the 2015-2016 season. The turning point came when Watkins became a key player for Exeter and won the EFL Young Player of the Year award in 2017.
Breaking Through at Brentford After seeing Watkins’s performance, Brentford, then in the Championship, decided to spend £1.8 million to sign him. In his new colors, the 1995-born star quickly adapted and became an important player, with 49 goals and 22 assists in 143 matches.
In the 2019-2020 season, Watkins scored 26 times, helping the Bees earn promotion to the Premier League. This was also when big clubs in the Premier League started to notice him.
A Star Player at Aston Villa In the summer of 2020, Aston Villa paid £28 million (a club record at the time) to bring Watkins in. The former Exeter star quickly made his mark, scoring 14 goals in his first season. In the 2023/2024 season, as the main striker, Watkins continued to shine with 19 goals and 13 assists in 37 matches, helping Aston Villa qualify for the Champions League.
Under the guidance of tactical master Unai Emery, Watkins has become one of the most feared strikers in the current Premier League. He is also the top goalscorer in Aston Villa’s history with 75 goals for the club.
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International Career In March 2021, Ollie Watkins made his debut for the England national team, coming on as a substitute in a 5-0 win over San Marino. However, it wasn’t until March 2022 that Watkins had his first start for the Three Lions.
After that, he was absent from the call-ups for the Nations League and the 2022 World Cup. It wasn’t until October 2023 that the Aston Villa star was recalled to the national team.
At EURO 2024, Watkins was one of the 26 players on the Three Lions squad for Europe’s biggest football tournament. He also scored the decisive goal that sent England into the final.
Title Collection
Dubbed a “late bloomer,” Ollie Watkins hasn’t had many opportunities to win team titles. However, in the individual category, the 1995-born player has been honored quite a few times.
Team Titles
- EURO 2024 Runner-up
Individual Titles
- PFA Young Player of the Month (March 2016)
- EFL Young Player of the Year (April 2017)
- Championship Player of the Year (2019/20 season)
- PFA Team of the Year (Championship 2019/20 and Premier League 2023/24)
- Aston Villa Player of the Season (2023/24)
- Premier League’s Top Assister (2023/24)
Conclusion
Ollie Watkins had a relatively difficult start to his career before shining brightly for Aston Villa. At 29, the star is being courted by numerous prestigious clubs. This is also seen as an opportunity for Watkins to win major titles that match his talent.