Watkins returns to England squad

FORMER Exeter City academy product Ollie Watkins has been recalled to the England squad for their next two Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

The 25-year-old Aston Villa striker missed out on being a part of the 26-man squad Gareth Southgate selected for the Euros, and then was unavailable for the September internationals.

But Watkins has been recalled by Southgate for England’s matches against Andorra and Hungary on October 9 and 12 respectively.

The Torquay-born attacker has won three caps for England so far, scoring once, on his debut against San Marino back in March.

With Marcus Rashford, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Patrick Bamford out with injury, Watkins is the only other out-and-out striker named in the squad alongside captain Harry Kane.

The former Grecian was preferred up front to options such as Danny Ings and Tammy Abraham, while Manchester United youngster Mason Greenwood has again been left out to manage his playing load as a teenager and Jude Bellingham has been omitted by Southgate for the same reason.

If Watkins gets onto the pitch, the Grecians will receive more cash as a result of the sale of the striker to Brentford in July 2017.

City receive 15 per cent of potential additional payments to then-Championship side Brentford from Aston Villa as part of add-ons agreed, including £1m per England competitive starting appearance (£150,000 of which goes to Exeter) and £500,000 as a sub (£75,000 to City) and £1m per year for Aston Villa remaining in the Premier League (£150,000 to City)

The maximum total payment ceiling from Aston Villa to Brentford is £5m (a maximum of £750,000 for Exeter City.)

The Grecians have so far secured £262,500 in add-ons, making him their club record sale.