Ollie Watkins has established himself as a key figure at Brentford (Getty Images)
Back in July 2018, a report from the Evening Standard claimed Crystal Palace were interested in Brentford star Ollie Watkins. But the South London club didn’t firm up their interest and a transfer never happened.
Ollie Watkins, 23, joined Brentford from Exeter City in 2017, having starred in League Two, and he enjoyed a promising first season at Griffin Park. The forward also had a strong 2018/19 campaign, where he scored 10 goals and supplied six assists but couldn’t guide Brentford to the playoffs.
The 23-year-old has shown real potential in the Championship and it won’t be a great surprise if he leaves the Bees for the Premier League in the summer. With Brentford failing to qualify for the playoffs, Crystal Palace must take advantage of the situation and reignite their interest in Ollie Watkins.
A report from the Daily Star claims Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha is linked with a return to his former club Manchester United this summer. Zaha has had a fantastic season at Selhurst Park, supplying 10 goals and as many assists in the Premier League.
The Ivorian is the heartbeat of the Eagles and his potential departure will be a huge blow for Roy Hodgson’s side. Hodgson’s side have already struggled for goals this season and losing Zaha will be catastrophic, as getting a player with a limited budget that can replace the Ivory Coast international will be a stellar task.
Watkins could be the player that can come close to replacing Zaha at Selhurst Park. The 23-year-old, who is equally adept at playing on the left-wing and leading the attack, is one of Championship football’s young, promising and exciting prospects. He can help reduce the goalscoring burden off Christian Benteke and Andros Townsend’s shoulders, while also adding depth to the squad and increasing competition for places.
The former Exeter City prospect has decent pace and skill on the ball and is more than capable of outsmarting the opposition with his sharp turns and intelligent movement in the final third. He has shown in the Championship how destructive he can be with his pace and power down the flanks.
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Watkins has got the qualities to make the step up to the Premier League and become an asset for Palace for years to come. He is more than capable of turning games around with his ability to chip in with valuable goals and assists and at 23, has quite some room for development.
Watkins has a bright future ahead of him and if Hodgson can pry him to South London this summer, it’ll represent a signing of massive significance for the Eagles.