Watkins scores on Al-Hilal debut and insists Saudi Pro League matches Premier League quality

Ollie Watkins scored on his Al-Hilal debut as the Riyadh club beat rivals Al-Ahli 3-0 on Tuesday, and the England striker used the occasion to make a bold claim: that the Saudi Pro League is the equal of the Premier League.

Watkins, 30, completed a £51 million move from Aston Villa last week, signing a three-year deal after refusing to feature for Villa in order to push the transfer through. He leaves as the club’s all-time Premier League top scorer, having netted 91 times in the top flight and 108 goals across 278 appearances in all competitions. He also won the Europa League with Villa last season.

“The level I saw here today was honestly of Premier League quality,” Watkins said after the win over Al-Ahli, whose squad includes fellow England international Ivan Toney. “The match was very strong physically and demanding, and the quality was extremely high.”

He added that Al-Hilal’s performance in the Club World Cup had convinced him the move was right. “I knew straight away when the offer came. I watched the Club World Cup and I saw how well they performed. I want to come here, I want to win trophies, and I think this team is going to give me the best possible chance of doing that.”

Toney, who joined Al-Ahli from Brentford for £40 million in the summer of 2024, has made a near-identical argument. “For me, the Saudi Pro League is on a par with the Premier League,” he said previously. “If Al-Ahli were in the Premier League, we’d give it a good go and we’d be close to the top four.”

Watkins joins a high-profile Al-Hilal squad that includes Crysencio Summerville, who left West Ham for £60 million this summer, former Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves, ex-Chelsea and Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly, former AC Milan left-back Theo Hernandez, and Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. The club is managed by Simone Inzaghi, formerly of Inter Milan, and is reported to be closing in on a £60 million deal for Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli.

In a farewell message posted to social media after leaving Villa, Watkins acknowledged the difficult circumstances of his departure. “Never did I intend, nor did I imagine, my time at Aston Villa would end this way,” he wrote. “With that being said, I am eternally grateful for the last six years. Not only has it shaped me as a player, but as a person.”