Watkins Leads Al Hilal's Options Amid Benzema's Potential Departure

Saudi club Al Hilal has placed English striker Ollie Watkins, of Aston Villa, among its top attacking options, in anticipation of a possible departure of French forward Karim Benzema during the current summer transfer window.

Sky Sports has revealed that the Saudi club has begun to explore various attacking options in preparation for the post-Benzema era, with the final decision still tied to the future of the Frenchman.

According to the report, Al Hilal has secured Watkins' agreement on personal terms for a potential transfer, a move that gives the club a strong boost towards finalizing the deal in the future.

Despite reaching an agreement with the English striker on personal terms, Al Hilal has yet to send an official bid to Aston Villa to initiate negotiations for his contract.

Benzema's departure remains the decisive factor in Al Hilal's movements, as the club needs to first settle the situation of the French striker before moving on to negotiations with Aston Villa.

Al Hilal is working to arrange its attacking lineup early, placing Watkins among the names considered to replace Benzema, should the latter's departure from the team be confirmed.

The deal remains on hold for now, despite reaching a personal agreement with Watkins, pending developments regarding Benzema's future and the possibility of a formal offer for Aston Villa.