Ollie Watkins

Ollie Watkins is the most complete English striker in the Premier League, and the number of people who still underrate him is genuinely baffling. The Aston Villa forward combines tireless work rate, intelligent movement, and clinical finishing in a package that makes him the ideal modern centre-forward — he presses, he creates, he scores, and he does it all without a shred of the ego that afflicts lesser strikers. His transformation from a Championship forward at Brentford into a Premier League and Champions League striker under Unai Emery is a testament to both his dedication and Emery’s brilliance as a coach.

That late winner against the Netherlands in the Euro 2024 semi-final was not a fluke — it was the inevitable product of a player who has spent years perfecting his craft and developing the big-game mentality that separates good strikers from great ones. At club level, Watkins has been the focal point of Villa’s resurgence, consistently delivering 15-plus Premier League goals per season with the reliability of a player who treats every match as a personal mission. His all-round game — the pressing, the link play, the runs in behind — makes him invaluable to Emery’s tactical system.

For Australian fans, Watkins is the kind of striker who resonates deeply — a relentless competitor with a never-say-die attitude and the talent to back it up on the biggest stages.

Career Statistics

Player Profile

With 155 appearances and 55 goals, Watkins’ record confirms what the eye test already told you: this is one of the Premier League’s best strikers, full stop. Villa’s leading marksman is a key figure in the 2025-26 campaign as the club competes in the Champions League and chases a top-four finish, and his contribution extends so far beyond goals that the statistics only capture half the picture. Watkins does not just score — he makes everyone around him better. In modern football, that is the rarest quality of all.

VS — Chief sports columnist, australiafootball.com