Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins has signed a new long-term contract at the club.

A statement on the club’s official website said: “Aston Villa is delighted to announce Ollie Watkins has signed a new, long-term contract with the club,” adding: “The striker, who yesterday received a recall to the England squad, has now scored 50 goals for Villa since joining from Brentford in 2020.

“His 15 goals last term helped fire Villa into Europe while he has reached double figures in each of his three seasons at the club – with seven to his name in all competitions so far this season, including two hat-tricks, the first Villa player to achieve the feat in the same campaign since Andy Gray in the 1970s.

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“A graduate of the Exeter City Academy, he spent time in non-league football with Weston Super-Mare before impressing for the Grecians and then Brentford.”

Boss Unai Emery said: “He is always very demanding, to learn and improve. He is doing that here. I have been working with him more or less for one year and today is the same as the first day, our method in the training ground.”

Watkins has scored seven times this season, including two hat-tricks, ahead of Sunday’s trip to Wolves. And he believes Villa Park is the best place for his career to develop further as he targeted the Champions League under Emery.

“I’m really happy,” he told the club’s official website,” adding: “I feel like this is the best place for me to play my football. I’ve still got a lot to achieve here. You can see the direction of the club and I want to be a part of that. We’re only getting started. The boss has been here for a year and you’ve seen the form and progression of players.”