From a budding footballer at the age of six in Buckland Athletic academy to scoring the winning goal for England in Euro 2024 against the Netherlands, Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins has come a long way.
Watkins joined Exeter City’s academy in 2004 after various stints across different grassroots football academies. Following his breakthrough into the first-team, he signed for Brentford in 2017.
During his three seasons with The Bees, the 26-year-old striker impressed with 49 goals across 143 appearances. As a result, Aston Villa came calling in 2020.
He scored his first three Premier League goals for the club in sensational fashion, netting a perfect hattrick in a 7-2 thrashing of then-defending champions Liverpool. This was just a hint of what was to come, with Watkins guiding the club to their first Champions League appearance since 1983 last season. In the meantime, he has also found success at an international level with England, making 18 appearances while scoring five goals, including the crucial winning goal that took his country to the Euro 2024 final. With Aston Villa having automatically qualified for the Round of 16 of the Champions League, Watkins will hope to make a deep run with them in the tournament. As he continues to impress with Villa, other Premier League clubs continue to circle him, for a chance of signing him in the summer.
Ollie Watkins' net worth
According to Salary Sport, following his success in English football, Ollie Watkins has amassed a net worth of approximately £21 million over his career. This largely comes from his time at Aston Villa.
The England international is reportedly on a £120,000 per week contract with Aston Villa which expires in 2027. Up until 2023, he was earning around £2 million annually, but a contract extension saw that number jump to approximately £6.3 million last year.
However, his net worth isn’t solely built from his wages from club football. Watkins has also accrued many brand deals and endorsements over his career including those with Boots, BYD, and Ted Baker
Family life and relocating to Birmingham
Watkins has been in a relationship with his fiancee Ellie Alderson since his time at Brentford. When he moved to Villa in 2020, Anderson relocated with him to Birmingham.She has a diploma in interior design and plied her trade as an interior designer. However, Alderson also earns additional income by selling clothing products on LTK.A few months after Watkins joined Aston Villa, the two welcomed their first child Amara May in 2020. Three years later the couple were blessed with a baby boy Marley Watkins on April 17, 2023.
Last year, the couple decided to take their relationship a step further. Watkins proposed to Alderson and on July 31, 2024, the two became officially engaged after being together for six years.
Brentford showdown
Things heated up between Watkins and his former club Brentford’s supporters during a Premier League game in December 2023. Tensions particularly flared after the striker celebrated his winning goal.
Tempers were already on a high after Ben Mee was sent off earlier in the game, but Watkins’ celebration directed towards the Brentford supporters in the West Stand did not go down too well with them.
According to Watkins in a post-match interview with Sky Sports, he still respected the club and its supporters. However, one fan had been going at him the entire game, which prompted his celebration.
He said: “I love the club, the players and staff, I've not got a bad word to say against them. But there was one person who was abusing me all game, the celebration wasn't to anyone else but it was directed directly at him.”