Villa turn to Kofane as Watkins edges toward exit — Emery’s striker hunt goes full throttle

Here we go then — the striker scramble is on at Villa Park. David Ornstein says Aston Villa have made an approach for Bayer Leverkusen’s livewire No 9 Christian Kofane, with Unai Emery plotting life after Ollie Watkins as the England man edges toward a lucrative move to Al-Hilal. Villa must land a centre-forward before Tuesday’s 11pm deadline — no excuses.

The Ornstein line and Villa’s intent

Per The Athletic’s Ornstein, Villa have tested the waters for Kofane while simultaneously pushing other fronts. Reports this week suggested a £60m offer has gone in for Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson, and there’s concrete admiration from Emery given their Villarreal link. A bid for Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta has already been knocked back, and Rafael Leao is admired but financially complex to say the least.

Why Kofane? The kid’s got jets and numbers

Kofane only turned 20 last month, yet he’s already turning heads across the continent. The Cameroon international has two in six for his country and, at Leverkusen, he’s producing meaningfully: 45 appearances, 20 starts, 8 goals and 9 assists. Eight strikes from 20 starts at his age screams upside — pace, presence, and that penalty-box instinct you can’t coach. No wonder respected talent spotters are calling him one of Europe’s most exciting young strikers.

Leverkusen’s stance: late-window? Forget it — unless it’s astronomical

Here’s the snag. Leverkusen have been crystal clear in club-to-club contact: they’ve no appetite to cash in during the final days of the window. They rate him highly, they’re competing on multiple fronts, and they don’t need the money. Kofane’s agent, Eric Depolo, has even floated a nine-figure valuation and pitched him as a long-term solution for an elite club — that tells you the ballpark. For Villa to prise him out now would take something stratospheric.

Plan B, C and D: Jackson, Mateta, Leao

So where does that leave Villa? Jackson looks the cleanest fit: mobile, runs channels, presses hard — very Emery. The £60m talk underscores where the hierarchy see their prime target. Mateta, meanwhile, offers Premier League-proofed muscle and penalty-box reliability; Palace have already rebuffed one offer, but the door may not be shut if the number rises. As for Leao, phenomenal player, but the finances and moving parts make it a moonshot this late.

Watkins watch and the wider market

Watkins edging toward Saudi inevitably forces Villa’s hand. Take his goals and graft out of Emery’s system and you need a plug-and-play solution fast. The market’s moving — even the best betting sites have shortened prices on Villa adding a No 9 — and the club’s recruitment team is working every angle.

Pundit’s verdict

If Villa could somehow land Kofane now, it would be a monster statement — the kind that says this project isn’t just top-four talk, it’s built to last. Realistically, expect a push for Jackson right up to the wire, with Mateta as a pragmatic fallback. Either way, Emery needs a striker through the door by Tuesday night. The plan is clear; now it’s about execution.