England star Ollie Watkins recently completed a move to the Saudi Pro League -Credit:Catherine Ivill - AMA, Getty Images Ollie Watkins has suggested that the Saudi Pro League matches the Premier League in quality following his goal on debut for Al-Hilal. Watkins created waves by leaving Aston Villa for the Riyadh outfit in a £51 million ($68.8 million) move last week. The England forward penned a three-year contract with Al-Hilal after declining to feature for Villa in an effort to push through the switch. The 30-year-old registered 108 goals across 278 appearances for Villa, where he captured the UEFA Europa League last season. He stands as Villa's all-time leading scorer in the Premier League with 91 goals, via The Mirror.
Cristiano Ronaldo's mom misses 'intimate' wedding as marriage certificate details ceremony Wrexham bid farewell to back-to-back promotion hero following record-breaking signing -Credit:Yasser Bakhsh, Getty Images His new Al-Hilal teammates feature Crysencio Summerville, who departed West Ham United in a £60 million ($80 million) transaction this summer, along with former Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves, ex-Chelsea and Napoli center-back Kalidou Koulibaly, former AC Milan left-back Theo Hernandez, and Morocco international shot-stopper Yassine Bounou. Al-Hilal, managed by former Inter Milan head coach Simone Inzaghi, are also set to confirm the £60 million acquisition of Gabriel Martinelli from Arsenal. Watkins found the net in his first appearance during a 3-0 victory over rivals Al-Ahli - whose roster includes England international Ivan Toney - on Tuesday, and he considers the standard comparable to the English top tier. "The level I saw here today was honestly of Premier League quality," Watkins said post-game. "The match was very strong physically and demanding, and the quality was extremely high. "I knew straight away [to join Al Hilal when the offer came]. I watched the Club World Cup and I saw how well they performed. I always see who's at the top of the league and they're always up there. To listen to the latest episode of 'All Out Soccer' - CLICK HERE "And look, I want to come here. I want to win trophies and I think this team is going to give me the best possible chance of doing that." Watkins' England colleague Toney, who made the move to Al-Ahli in the summer of 2024 from Brentford for £40 million ($53 million), has previously echoed a comparable sentiment. "For me, the Saudi Pro League is on a par with the Premier League," he said. "If Al-Ahli were in the Premier League, we'd give it a good go and we'd be close to the top four. It is a quality league and people should not turn their noses up." Following his departure, Watkins took to social media to express: "Firstly, I would like to say, never did I intend, nor did I imagine, my time at Aston Villa would end this way. With that being said, I am eternally grateful for the last six years. Not only has it shaped me as a player, but as a person. "We've been through so many ups and downs in my six seasons here, but one thing that has never changed is that I have given everything for this club."