Aston Villa Have a 'New Watkins' in Madjo's Shadow
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- Aston Villa merekrut Nicolas Jackson dengan harga £65 juta setelah Ollie Watkins hengkang ke Arab Saudi, namun tetap menyimpan talenta muda Rory Wilson sebagai opsi jangka panjang.
- Wilson, 20 tahun, mencetak 40 gol dari 66 penampilan di tim akademi Villa dan kini menunjukkan ketajaman bersama U21 dengan dua gol dalam tiga laga Premier League 2.
- Jika diberi kesempatan, Wilson berpotensi menjadi pengganti Watkins di lini depan, tetapi harus bersaing dengan Brian Madjo yang tengah cedera dan diprediksi sebagai 'Haaland berikutnya'.
Losing Ollie Watkins to a Saudi Arabian club forced Aston Villa to move quickly in the transfer market. The NSWE management shelled out up to £65 million to bring in Nicolas Jackson from Senegal, a club-record purchase that underlines the club's ambition to keep competing at the top of the Premier League.
Yet behind that big transfer, Unai Emery is holding another ace. Rory Wilson, a 20-year-old young striker, is back at Villa Park after an unprofitable loan spell with Sturm Graz in Austria. Wilson made only five appearances there, but his goal record at academy level with Aston Villa is highly promising: 40 goals in 66 matches since joining from Rangers in 2022.
Wilson is not the type of striker who relies on pace like Watkins. His strength lies in intuitive movement inside the penalty box and calm finishing. That playing style has led him to be projected as Watkins' long-term successor, who has long been Villa's attacking mainstay.
Competition in Villa's front line does not belong to Wilson alone. Brian Madjo, who is just 17, drew greater attention after scoring in the UEFA Super Cup final. Even so, the injury nagging him means Emery must be patient. Madjo is seen as a raw talent who needs time to develop, so Wilson could be the more ready option in the near term.
Watkins' decision to leave may have been right. Last season, his form fluctuated, and his advancing age meant Villa needed regeneration. Jackson's arrival provides an instant solution, but Wilson offers a cheaper and more sustainable long-term prospect. If given the chance, he could become Emery's secret weapon in the second half of the season.
"Wilson has capable finishing ability. He is not as fast as Watkins, but his movement in the penalty box is very clever. In a few months, he could become an interesting option," said an English football observer.
For Indonesian football fans, Wilson's story is a reminder of the importance of youth player development at Liga 1 clubs. Aston Villa dared to keep a young player despite pressure to sign an expensive striker. Indonesian clubs could imitate this approach by giving playing minutes to local talents such as Hokky Caraka or Ramadhan Sananta, instead of always relying on foreign players.
Going forward, Emery's decision to play Wilson will depend heavily on the team's results in the coming weeks. If Jackson adapts quickly and Madjo recovers, Wilson may have to settle for a backup role. However, if there is an injury or a dip in form, Wilson could be an unexpected solution. Can he prove himself as Watkins' true successor?
