Chelsea 'showing an interest in Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins'

Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing Aston Villa centre-forward Ollie Watkins during this summer's transfer window.

The Blues have already boosted their attack during the current window with the arrivals of Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Kai Havertz, Mason Mount and Christian Pulisic have all departed, while Romelu Lukaku is also set to leave on a permanent basis.

Chelsea will not play European football next season, having finished 12th in the 2022-23 Premier League, meaning that deals for the likes of Napoli's Victor Osimhen and Eintracht Frankfurt's Randal Kolo Muani will not be possible during the current market.

The club's new head coach Mauricio Pochettino is believed to be determined to add at least one more forward to his squad, and according to journalist Simon Phillips, Watkins has emerged as a target.

Arsenal have previously been credited with an interest in the Englishman, but Chelsea are now thought to be at the head of the queue for his services.

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Watkins started his professional career with Exeter City, representing the club between 2014 and 2017 before making the move to Brentford.

The forward found the back of the net on 49 occasions in 143 appearances for the Bees in all competitions, in addition to providing 17 assists, before completing a switch to Villa in 2020.

Watkins has scored 43 goals and registered 13 assists in 116 matches for his current side, with his best season proving to be last term, when he managed 15 Premier League goals.

The Englishman has now managed 40 Premier League goals for Villa over the course of three seasons, and he played a leading role in Unai Emery's side finishing seventh in the top flight last term.

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Unlike Chelsea, Villa will be in Europe next season, with the team preparing to play in the Europa League Conference playoff round.

Emery's team have made three signings this summer, bringing in Pau Torres, Youri Tielemans and Moussa Diaby, and the club are thought to be confident of keeping Watkins this summer despite the interest.

In addition to Aubameyang, Havertz, Mount and Pulisic, Mateo Kovacic, Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ethan Ampadu, N'Golo Kante, Cesar Azpilicueta and Baba Rahman have left Chelsea this summer.

The Blues started their preparations for the 2023-24 campaign with a 5-0 win over Wrexham on Wednesday, and they will also face Brighton & Hove Albion, Newcastle United, Fulham and Borussia Dortmund in friendlies before starting their new Premier League season at home to Liverpool on August 13.