Aston Villa are navigating another turbulent transfer window — and this time, the player at the centre of the storm is Ollie Watkins.

Al-Hilal, the Saudi Pro League club, have had four bids rejected for the striker, with their best offer reported to be close to £40 million. That figure remains well short of Villa's valuation, and with next Tuesday's transfer deadline approaching, the club are digging in.

Emery's silence speaks volumes

When head coach Unai Emery was asked why Watkins was absent from Villa's Premier League opener at Brighton — a bruising 4-0 defeat in which all four goals arrived in a catastrophic first 31 minutes — his answer was telling. "This question is for him. I can answer only with my silence," Emery told Sky Sports, appearing to place the blame squarely on Watkins.

It was not the first time Villa have found themselves in this position. Last summer, Emery deflected questions about Emi Martinez's absence for the opening fixture against Crystal Palace by repeatedly mentioning replacement goalkeeper Marco Bizot. Now Watkins is the name drawing that same stony response.

A relationship at an uncomfortable end

Watkins, who turns 31 in December, has been training alone after returning from an extended post-World Cup break. He is understood to have communicated his desire to leave to the Villa hierarchy, though neither the player nor his representatives have spoken publicly — and it remains unclear whether Al-Hilal is his preferred destination.

The 30-year-old joined Villa from Brentford for a then-record £28 million and has gone on to score 108 goals in 278 appearances, making him the club's all-time record Premier League goalscorer. His contribution to Villa's resurgence over six years has been immense, culminating in the night in Istanbul when his efforts helped the club beat Freiburg and lift the UEFA Europa League — ending a 30-year trophy drought.

Those inside the club are genuinely surprised by how the relationship has unravelled. Watkins has always carried a reputation as a model professional — grounded, family-oriented, entirely dedicated to his football. He once pleaded with then-Exeter manager Paul Tisdale to play him amid interest from Derby in 2017, coming off the bench to score against Wycombe. That hunger made him a manager's dream. His departure would sting far more than even Ezri Konsa's exit.

Villa's wider transfer headache

Beyond Watkins, Villa must also resolve the future of Martinez, who endured a second consecutive summer of discontent after a proposed move to Juventus collapsed earlier this month. The club have since signed Zion Suzuki as their new first-choice goalkeeper.

Replacing Watkins will be no straightforward task. Villa have already had two offers rebuffed by Southampton for Taylor Harwood-Bellis as they seek a defensive addition, and finding a striker of Watkins' calibre on short notice is significantly harder. Teenager Brian Madjo — whose registration was secured after Villa won a dispute with FIFA — provides an option, though it would be unreasonable to expect the 17-year-old to shoulder the load.

Tammy Abraham, who arrived from Besiktas in January, has been available for sale but Watkins' imminent departure complicates that picture. Abraham has expressed no desire to leave and remains committed to Villa Park. Emery's top striker target is Nicolas Jackson of Chelsea, a player he previously worked with at Villarreal, while there has been no direct approach to Manchester United over Joshua Zirkzee.

Emery has already seen Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, Lucas Digne, and Konsa depart — four players who each left their mark on the Istanbul triumph. But should Watkins follow them out of the door, no exit this summer will have cut deeper.