The £60m Premier League star could be on his way to Aston Villa

The 2026 London Marathon saw Sabastian Sawe become the first person to record a sub-two-hour race, and while the Aston Villa players may not have been able to match the Kenyan's record-breaking time, they will know what it means to fight a marathon that doesn't stop.

This has been a season of perseverance for Unai Emery's side, who have held their own throughout the campaign and weathered the storms that followed that incredible winning run in the autumn.

The stakes have grown since the winter, with Premier League rivals breathing down Villa's neck and Emery watching his players struggle to regain the fluency and sharpness that made them successful.

But Aston Villa sit comfortably in fifth place, eight points ahead of Brighton & Hove Albion. Barring a late slump, Villa Park will turn on the Champions League lights, and Emery could push for Ollie Watkins to be promoted.

The Premier League star could replace Ollie Watkins

Watkins has yet to enjoy his best season in an Aston Villa shirt, but he still played a key role in the number nine, scoring 11 goals and providing two assists in 33 appearances. The England striker has also been instrumental in Europe, turning on the tap as Emery pushes for another European title to his collection.

However, at the age of 30, there is a feeling that Watkins is likely to move on this summer, with AC Milan among the clubs to have shown an interest in recent months. Some reports even suggest that Watkins wants to take on a new challenge.

According to a report in The Times last week, Manchester City striker Omar Marmoush is on Aston Villa's radar ahead of the summer transfer window.

Marmoush, 27, could not make it work at the Etihad Stadium, but he arrived in the Premier League as one of Europe's most exciting goalscorers, and with the title challengers willing to let him leave this summer, this could be an opportunity the Villans cannot afford to pass up.

Why Marmoush could improve on Watkins for Aston Villa

Marmoush is not the first talented player to fail to live up to expectations in Pep Guardiola's system. He has the quality to succeed in the Premier League; After all, we've seen the Egyptian tear English defenses to shreds since joining Eintracht Frankfurt for £60m.

Last season, Marmoush enjoyed more of a return to the Premier League, despite making 14 Premier League starts.

But his fortunes have dried up this year, with just one more goal added to his Premier League haul. This is a far cry from the form that saw Man City pay huge sums for his signature.

He clearly feels insecure in Pep's system, he is not trusted by the Spanish coach. By moving to Villa Park and playing for Emery, Marmoush can finally return to the form that saw him score 37 goals and provide 20 assists in just 67 games for his former German employers.

He is hungry for success, having struggled so far in England, and in that, he could emerge as the perfect successor to Watkins. Not just a dangerous goalscorer, Marmoush is a powerful athlete, willing to rush forwards and bamboozle defenders with fleet work.

A few years ago, Argentine journalist Roy Nemer hailed him as “the best striker in the world”, so Villa could do a lot worse.

Marmoush is too talented to run out of steam at the start of his Premier League career, and with Watkins seemingly on the wane, a ticket to Villa Park would be perfect for all parties involved, ensuring Aston Villa have enough quality to impress in the Champions League next season.

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