Aston Villa recorded a much-needed point against Brighton on Saturday.
Micah Richards has urged Aston Villa not to sign a player like Ollie Watkins who is known to Dean Smith after the duo worked together at Brentford.
The BBC Sport pundit thinks that it’s not worth risking going for a ‘proven striker’ from the Championship in Watkins as he feels the club are better off pushing for a ‘top-quality’ loan striker.
Villa are in need of a centre-forward after playing without a recognised number nine during their past three matches – against Leicester City in the League Cup and Manchester City and Brighton in the Premier League.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live (18/01/20 at 13:05 pm), Richards was asked whether Villa should push for someone like Watkins, who is thriving in the Championship.
“Is it worth risking it on a Championship striker, proven striker in Watkins when you want to stay in the Premier League,” Richards told 5 Live Sport.
“Maybe getting a top-quality striker on loan just so you don’t have to commit fully. And if he can save you, he can sign up at the end. If he doesn’t work out then he can go back to where he’s come from.”
Under Smith at Brentford, Watkins used to play out wide, but following the departure of Neal Maupay in the summer, he was moved into a more central role by manager Thomas Frank.
It is fair to say that he hasn’t looked back and he has scored a pretty remarkable 18 goals from his 28 league matches this term [transfermarkt] and if he carries on his ways then he could get 25+ by May.
Nonetheless, it seems as though one striker is going to be walking through the doors of Bodymoor Heath pretty soon as Smith confirmed that the club are close to securing the signature of Mbwana Samatta from Genk, as reported by Sky Sports.
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