Aston Villa are prepared to offer a bumper £70,000-a-week deal to Brentford forward Ollie Watkins as they look to beat off competition from Fulham for his signature, according to The Sun.

Watkins is a player who is in high demand this transfer window after a very impressive campaign with the Bees in the Championship last term, which saw him finish as the league’s top goal scorer with 26 goals.

After missing out on promotion Brentford could be forced to cash in on the 24-year-old. Thomas Frank’s side are being heavily linked with a move for Peterborough United striker Ivan Toney, which would see them find an adequate replacement for Watkins.

That could see them be willing to allow the forward to leave the club after what has been a very impressive spell with the Bees.

Quiz: Do you remember which club Brentford signed these 15 players from?

It is thought that Aston Villa manager Dean Smith is keen to ensure that he is reunited with his former attacker, and that Watkins is keen to secure a move away from Brentford with Villa now ready to offer him a bumper deal to beat of interest from fellow Premier League side Fulham.

The verdict

Watkins’ departure from Brentford has felt like it was going to happen since the Bees missed out on promotion to the Premier League by losing the play-off final to Fulham, and it now seems that the race for his signature is beginning to really step up as the new season grows ever nearer.

The fact that Brentford look like they are going to get Toney from Peterborough it seems like they have already prepared for life without Watkins, and Frank’s side would be able to potentially use the rest of the money received for the forward to add other options to their squad.

Losing Watkins from their forward line would of course be a blow for Brentford, but they have a proven track record of being able to replace key players who secure moves away from the club – and you would back them to find another payer capable of filling the forward’s shoes.