Former Premier League defender Stephen Warnock believes Ollie Watkins should ignore any charm offensive from the Premier League's top clubs.
The Aston Villa striker announced himself on the European stage with England's late winner in their Euro 2024 semi-final win over the Netherlands, and is said to be a target for a number of clubs this summer.
Watkins scored 27 goals for Unai Emery's side last season, and speaking to BetVictor, Warnock has urged the forward to stay at Villa Park and spearhead the club's Champions League campaign.
"Ollie Watkins’ England prospects depend firstly on what Harry Kane does next and also on who comes in to replace Gareth Southgate as manager. That's out of Watkins’ control at the moment, but he only gets chances for England if he continues to perform for Aston Villa.
“And what he’s got to be careful of is that he’s the number one guy at Villa now and being the main man is vitally important. He likes having that pressure on him to perform well.
“What he's found at Villa is that Unai Emery has improved him as a player – he respects that hugely. He knows that working under Emery is the right fit for him. He plays in a system that suits him, which gives him opportunities to score and create goals. The difference now as well is that he's likely to be playing Champions League football.
“If he goes somewhere else, he may not quite fit in, he might not settle and the new manager's philosophy could be a different style of football.
“The question is whether he wants medals and to try and win the Premier League. Would he go to Chelsea for that? Would he go to Arsenal, Manchester City or Liverpool? I'm not so sure he would. I could see him moving to Arsenal, but I don't see him going to City or Liverpool.”
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