Brentford are fielding plenty of interest in their players this month, with Ollie Watkins amongst those on the radar of some Premier League clubs at January’s midpoint.  

According to Sky Sports, Southampton hold an interest in Watkins, who has been on the books at Griffin Park for 18 months now.

After an impressive first season in the Championship, Watkins has continued to progress and is now looking a very good player at this level.

In our latest FLW Spotlight, we take a look at the 23-year-old’s 2018/19 so far:

In 23 appearances for the Bees, Watkins has returned seven goals and three assists, slipping into the shadow of the prolific Neal Maupay.

However, he’s still consistently involved, averaging 2.5 shots on goal per game and 1.4 key passes.

In addition to that there’s an average of 28.8 passes per game, which come at a 76.3% success rate.

The Verdict

Many don’t believe that Watkins is performing to the level he was 12 months ago, but his stats tell a different story and it is also worth considering that this Brentford side are struggling without Dean Smith in charge.

Seven goals and three assists is a great return for a wide forward, particularly when you consider Watkins is behind the impressive Maupay on penalty duty.

The interest from Southampton is more than justified.

Take away these stats, it’s worth remembering Watkins’ age. He’s 23, with his best years still to come. He’s an investment, not a panic-buy.

The Saints are still in the middle of a relegation battle in the Premier League, yet even if Watkins couldn’t save them from dropping into the second-tier again, they’d be stronger by having him on board heading into the Championship – a level they know the former Exeter man is comfortable at.

Thoughts? Let us know!