Ollie Watkins ‘is wanted by Liverpool boss Arne Slot to replace misfiring Darwin Nunez’ as Aston Villa face summer fight to keep hold of their star striker

Aston Villa are set to fight to keep Ollie Watkins at the club amid expected interest from Liverpool as new Reds manager Arne Slot sets about bringing a new striker to Anfield, according to reports.

The Villa talisman reported for England duty on Wednesday after being named as part of Gareth Southgate‘s provisional 33-man squad ahead of Euro 2024 after a stellar season in the Premier League.

Watkins scored a career-best 19 goals in the English top-flight to help Villa secure a dream qualification for next year’s Champions League, but is wanted by Liverpool as reported by The Sun.

Newly-appointed Liverpool chief, Slot, is keen to make his own mark on the club after replacing Jurgen Klopp and has identified Watkins as the ideal centre forward to kick-star his revolution.

Darwin Nunez could make way to accommodate for Watkins after struggling during two seasons in England and scoring only 11 goals in 36 Premier League appearances this term.

Aston Villa are set to fight to keep Ollie Watkins at the club amid reported interest from Liverpool

New Liverpool manager Arne Slot is reportedly keen to bring Watkins to Anfield

Liverpool could recruit Watkins as a replacement for misfiring striker Darwin Nunez

The Uruguayan has been linked with a potential summer move to Barcelona, with Watkins being the ideal successor after already proving his worth amongst England’s elite.

However, Liverpool will likely have to cough up a huge sum to lure him away from one of their Premier League rivals after Watkins signed a new deal with the Midlands club last year.

His existing contract at Villa Park runs until 2028 and Villa boss Unai Emery is desperate to keep him after recently signing a deal to extend his stay at the club as well.

Watkins scored a career-best 19 goals in the English top-flight to help Villa secure a dream qualification for next year’s Champions League

Any negotiations are now likely to not be completed until after the upcoming European Championship if Watkins is named in Southgate’s final squad for the tournament in Germany.

Watkins’ immediate focus is on next week’s international friendlies against both Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Iceland, with him competing with Brentford star Ivan Toney for a place in England’s revised 26-man team.

The 28-year-old previously rejected any notion that he could leave Villa, stating at the time of his signing his latest deal: ‘I feel like this is the best place for me to play my football.

‘I’ve still got a lot to achieve here,’ he added.