Journalist Luke Hatfield believes that Aston Villa will demand at least £50-£60m for Ollie Watkins if rival clubs step up their interest in the striker.

The 25-year-old only joined Villa in September 2020, but is already linked with a move away.

What's the latest news on Watkins?

After missing the first two league games of the season through injury, Watkins has eased his way back into action in recent weeks, but has been unable to hit the heights of last term yet.

GIVEMESPORT Giveaway

This has not put off Tottenham, though, and it was recently reported that the north London club are tracking Watkins ahead of potentially making a move for the player in the coming months.

The former Brentford man gave Spurs a glimpse of his talent this past weekend when he scored his first goal of the campaign against them, although Tottenham ended up edging the game 2-1.

What has Hatfield said about Watkins potentially joining Spurs?

Hatfield is aware that Villa rate the England international highly, and feels that the Midlands club will want a mouthwatering fee from Tottenham before they give their blessing for Watkins to leave.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “In terms of fee, Villa would want in excess of £50-£60m for him. They’ve spent a big amount of money to bring him in. It was around £30m to get him in from Brentford, it was a big fee at the time.

“And considering what he’s done at Villa, the fact that he’s broken into the England setup, how influential he is, not just with his goals but also the way he presses opposition players is absolutely vital for Villa.

“He is a player that they obviously hold in the highest regard, they won’t want to see him leave. It’s going to take a massive fee.”

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Is Watkins worth that amount of money?

Based on this season's performances, that's probably a bit of a stretch. Watkins has hardly been in outstanding form in recent weeks.

However, it should be remembered that he is still working his way back from injury, so it's important to look at the bigger picture. He scored 14 Premier League goals last season, proving that he belongs at the highest level, and his consistent displays saw him break into the England squad.

At just 25, he is approaching his peak, and has his best years ahead of him. That will have to be factored in if Tottenham do make an official bid for him.

Bearing this in mind, it is only right that Villa ought to look to make a significant profit on the attacker who has made big strides in his development over the past 12 months, so a fee in the region of £50-£60m should not be out of the question.