What Ollie Watkins has now done as Aston Villa register fresh 'interest' in £42m alternative

Ollie Watkins has returned to Aston Villa training and apologised to his teammates after his absence from Sunday's embarrassing defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.

The England international remains keen on a move to Saudi Arabia, leaving manager Unai Emery planning for the possibility of losing his leading goalscorer.

That has seen Villa look towards several options as his potential replacement.

Ollie Watkins apologises to Aston Villa teammates

Watkins returned to training on Monday and apologised to his Aston Villa teammates after missing the 4-0 defeat by the Seagulls, according to The Athletic.

The 30-year-old had not been training with the first-team squad before the opening game of the season after making it clear he wanted to leave, with Al-Hilal having already seen a fourth offer worth £45 million rejected.

Emery refused to confirm whether Watkins had asked not to play at the weekend, instead directing questions towards the player and his representatives.

Villa have offered Watkins a new contract through to 2030 and would like to keep him, but his future remains uncertain as Al-Hilal continue pushing for a late move.

The club are therefore drawing up contingency plans, with Chelsea flop Nicolas Jackson among their leading targets and Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta another option.

Aston Villa target Rafael Leao as potential Watkins replacement

AC Milan winger Rafael Leao is also a player that Villa have expressed an 'interest' in, although no club-to-club offer has been made for the Portugal international thus far.

Milan reportedly want around £42 million for Leao, making him an interesting option if Watkins does leave and Emery needs another attacking star.

Leao endured a quieter campaign last season, registering nine goals and three assists in 29 league appearances, but those numbers do not tell the whole story. He was Serie A MVP in 2021/22 and remains capable of producing match-winning moments with his pace and power.

Villa would be taking a gamble on Leao rediscovering his best form, but at £42 million he could represent a more exciting option than some of the other forwards being considered.

For now, everything depends on Watkins.

If the club's all-time Premier League top scorer does depart, Villa will need a major replacement, and Leao would certainly fit the bill.