Liverpool have been handed a potential boost in their pursuit of Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins ahead of the summer transfer window, with the Villans likely to be forced to sell the England international due to Profit and Sustainability Rules, according to the Telegraph.
The Reds want to bolster their attacking ranks given the uncertainty surrounding the futures of the likes of Luis Diaz, Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez, and Watkins has emerged as a serious transfer target.
Villa secured Champions League football for next season after finishing fourth in the 2023-24 Premier League campaign, and they will not be keen on losing the 28-year-old as they prepare for life in the elite European competition for the first time since the 1982-83 season.
However, they could breach PSR rules without major player sales this summer after posting a loss of £119.6 million for 2022-23, and cashing in on Watkins could become very necessary.
While qualifying for the Champions League comes with its financial boost, Villa will not be able to make major strides in revenue due to the current formula for calculating revenue which affects clubs that have not featured in the competition in a long time.
As a result, they badly need to sell some of their most prized possessions in the coming weeks, and Liverpool and other suitors will be monitoring the situation with keen interest.
Reds manager Arne Slot will be desperate to hit the ground running in his debut Premier League season after replacing Jurgen Klopp, and he could do with the services of a player like Watkins.
The Villa hitman ended the season with 19 goals and 13 assists in 37 league appearances, weighing in with three goals in six Conference League games, and he has the potential to be involved in more goals and become much better playing for a team like Liverpool.
Villa will suffer a massive blow losing Watkins, but their loss could be a huge boost and gain for Liverpool should the Merseysiders decide to go after their man if he becomes available.
