It was reported on Tuesday (August 18) that Al Hilal had made a £39 million offer for the 30-year-old, who is keen on making the move.
Not long after, The Athletic have reported that Aston Villa plan on turning that offer down and would like to keep Watkins at the club.
The Saudi Pro League side are continuing their pursuit, however, and believe they’ve received enough encouragement from the player to get a deal done.
Watkins joined Villa from Brentford back in 2020 and has established himself as a top Premier League striker, making 278 appearances and scoring 108 goals.
As the summer transfer window ramps up, Flashscore has everything you need to keep up with breaking news, rumours and analysis. Follow our live transfer blog to follow the biggest moves, whilst expert Dean Jones will be on hand to provide the inside stories from around the world.