Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins has signed a new five-year deal which ties him to the club until 2028.
With two hat-tricks and seven goals across all competitions, Watkins has started the season in scintillating form for Villa.
Unsurprisingly, the striker was recently named among the England squad for the upcoming fixtures against Australia and Italy.
Reacting to his new deal, Watkins lauded the impact of the Villa faithful on his time in the Midlands since joining from Brentford.
“I feel like this is the best place for me to play my football – I’ve still got a lot to achieve here,” Watkins told Villa’s official website.
“I feel like I’ve had a really good connection with the fans since I’ve come here.
“From day one they’ve been really good with me; we’ve had highs and lows but that’s football.
“You can see the direction of the club, and I want to be a part of that.”
Watkins’s new contract will certainly come as a big boost to his current employers who have been on the rise following the appointment of Unai Emery as manager back in November.
Only reigning English champions Manchester City have picked up more points than Villa in 2023, which is a huge testament to the giant strides taken over the last couple of months.
Villa and Watkins will be looking to make it three wins in a row heading into the international break with a trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers this weekend.
Off the back of a seventh-place finish last season, Villa are showing no signs of slowing down this term and currently sit fifth in the Premier League table, outside the top four by only one point after the first seven rounds of matches.
