Aston Villa have opened new contract talks with Ollie Watkins.

The striker is enjoying career best form this season under manager Unai Emery.

The 27-year-old has two years to run on the five-year deal he signed when joining Villa for about £30million from Brentford in September 2020. Any new deal will lift Watkins into the top rung of the club's earners, says the Daily Mail.

Emery said: "The striker is very important to me. I spoke with [Watkins] at the beginning about the relationship here. I told him that I want the best of you and the way he is doing; practising, being humble to improve. This is the way.

"When, he has a big career to do in his future. It's very important as well to try and speak about other players because he is not going to score if his team-mates aren't helping him to do it.

"For us, Ollie Watkins is very important. He's not only scoring but his commitment every day, trying to add more work, watching his clips.

"He's the first defence in our idea, trying to be consistent. He's working very well with the high pressing. He's trying to fight with the defenders. He's scoring and he's adding the best quality as a striker - the goal."