Ollie Watkins’ arrival adds intrigue to Al-Hilal clash with Al-Ahli

LONDON: Tuesday is set to be an epic for the Saudi Pro League. Al-Hilal versus Al-Ahli was already the biggest game of the season so far but now it is going to be unmissable. Fans in Riyadh are going to get a first look at Ollie Watkins, after the England striker secured a $70 million move to the Blues from Aston Villa in one of the most talked about deals of the summer.

For some time the focus in the SPL has been on signing younger players who can improve, develop and ultimately be sold back to the big leagues of Europe. But there is still interest if the right player comes along regardless of age and that is the case for Al-Hilal and their new star.

Watkins, 30, has just come back from the World Cup, where England finished third. His greatest moment for the Three Lions came in the summer of 2024 when he scored the last-minute winner in the semifinal of the European Championships against the Netherlands.

But it is as an Aston Villa icon that he will be best remembered. He scored 91 goals in 221 appearances for the 1982 European champions and also contributed 39 assists. In all he played more than 300 games and was a true fan favorite as he is a real team player who never stops running and is capable of scoring a goal out of nothing.

Watkins, who helped Villa win the Europa League last May, was preparing for the UEFA Champions League but now will appear in the Asian version.

First though are domestic matters. That Hilal got one of the English Premier League’s stars will be well received by fans of the most successful team in Asia. It shows that when it comes to the league’s outside Europe the one in Saudi Arabia still has the pulling power. It is also more competitive than most. There are five teams who can