Al-Hilal's knockout blow: Fenerbahce president reveals the details of his failed negotiations with Watkins

The Zaeem seals it

Fenerbahce came within touching distance of signing Ollie Watkins last summer before Al-Hilal swooped in at the death. Their president has now laid bare the behind-the-scenes scrap for the England striker, revealing just how close the Turkish giants came to landing him.

Speaking in sensational comments carried by the Saudi newspaper "Al-Yaum", the Fenerbahce chief revealed that his club spent a full month in marathon talks over Watkins.

He confirmed: "We negotiated with Watkins for a month and sent our representatives to England, but Aston Villa did not want to sell him at first, and the player himself rejected the idea of coming to Turkey, and at the end of the window he moved to the Saudi league."

Why did he choose Al-Hilal?

Money, according to the Fenerbahce president, was never the sticking point. The England international turned them down because he wanted a sporting project, preferring Al-Hilal's ambitious plan under Italian coach Simone Inzaghi to a move to the Turkish league. Fenerbahce lost their bet in the final metres of the window. His form this season explains why. Watkins joined the Saudi leaders from Aston Villa in a record deal last summer and has quickly become one of Inzaghi's indispensable cornerstones across every domestic and continental competition.