Crystal Palace look set to end their pursuit of Ollie Watkins according to The Times' Gary Jacob.

It is a big boost for Brentford, and will bring relief to the club as they have lost a key forward already this summer in Neal Maupay, whilst Said Benrahma's move to Aston Villa is also still on the table.

Palace have been interested in Watkins for quite some time, as it is likely he was viewed as a potential replacement for Wilfried Zaha, who could now remain at the club.

An £11m bid was submitted by The Eagles last week but was turned down, with Brentford eager to keep their best prospects and in no rush to sell as the 23-year-old has two years remaining on his current contract, with a third-year also available.

Watkins has been a key performer for the Bees since signing in 2017 and his importance to the team could increase following the departure of Maupay.

He has scored 20 goals in the Championship and started Saturday's match up front, and if the Bees fail to sign a striker he could be the first choice for the foreseeable future.

The Verdict

This is very good news for Brentford and it should hopefully mean they lose only one key player this summer.

Watkins has a very bright future ahead of him and is capable of scoring more goals this season than he has previously done whilst at the club.

If he does that and helps Brentford challenge at the top end of the league, then he will be worth a lot more next summer, so it is win-win for Brentford by keeping hold of him for now.