Saudi Pro League ‘Is Premier League Quality’, Says Watkins

Ollie Watkins has praised the Saudi Pro League after making a scoring debut for Al-Hilal, insisting the standard is comparable to the Premier League.

The England international came off the bench at half-time and headed Al-Hilal’s third goal in a 3-0 victory over Al-Ahli at Kingdom Arena.

Watkins completed his move from Aston Villa last week in a deal reportedly worth £51 million and was introduced for the second half of his first competitive appearance in Saudi Arabia.

The 30-year-old needed only 41 minutes to make an impact, rising at the back post to meet Sultan Al-Mandash’s cross and complete Al-Hilal’s victory.

Speaking after the match, Watkins said he had been impressed by the standard of football and the physical demands of the Saudi Pro League.

“The level I saw here today was honestly of Premier League quality,” Watkins said, adding that the match was “very strong physically and demanding” and that the overall quality was extremely high.

Watkins admitted that he had not expected the league to be at such a high level before arriving, but said his first experience had changed his perception.

The former Aston Villa striker also revealed that Al-Hilal’s performance at the FIFA Club World Cup influenced his decision to join the club.

He said watching the team compete against leading international opposition convinced him that Al-Hilal offered the right environment to continue competing for major honours.

Watkins said he wants to win trophies with the Riyadh-based club and believes the quality of the squad gives him a strong opportunity to achieve that ambition.

Watkins acknowledged that he was still short of full sharpness after spending only a few days training with his new teammates.

He added that players such as Neves and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic were intelligent footballers who could create opportunities for him if he made the right runs.

Al-Hilal’s victory maintained their perfect start to the Saudi Pro League campaign, with Simone Inzaghi’s side winning all four opening matches.

Watkins’ successful debut provides an early indication of his potential importance to the club as he adapts to a new league and footballing environment.