Ollie Watkins has praised the standard of football in Saudi Arabia after scoring on his Al-Hilal debut in their 3-0 win over Al-Ahli.
The England striker came on at half-time before heading in Sultan Al-Mandash’s cross late in the game to complete Al-Hilal’s win.
“The level I saw here today was honestly of Premier League quality,” Watkins said after the match, according to ESPN.
“The match was very strong physically and demanding, and the quality was extremely high,” he added.
Watkins joined Al-Hilal from Aston Villa for £51m last week. He said the club’s showing at the FIFA Club World Cup helped convince him to make the move.
“I knew straight away to join Al Hilal when the offer came. I watched the FIFA Club World Cup and I saw how well they performed. I always see who’s at the top of the league and they’re always up there.
“And look, I want to come here. I want to win trophies and I think this team is going to give me the best possible chance of doing that,” he said.
The 30-year-old admitted he is still building his fitness after only a few days of training with his new teammates.
“I want to score in every game.
“But I kept going, kept going, and I’m going to get a lot of chances. Ruben Neves and Serge Milinkovic-Savic are very intelligent players, and all I need to do is make the run.
“I’m a bit rusty at the moment, only had a couple of days training, so once I get in the groove, I’m going to be good,” Watkins said.
Watkins spent six seasons at Aston Villa after joining from Brentford in 2020, scoring 108 goals in 280 appearances.
The win was Al-Hilal’s fourth straight victory in the Saudi Pro League this season, keeping Simone Inzaghi’s team top of the table.
