Ellie Watkins broke down in tears on Sunday after her husband Ollie Watkins completed a £51million transfer from Aston Villa to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia.
The 30-year-old influencer admitted her heart is hurting as she and the English striker relocate to Riyadh with their two young children, five-year-old Amara and three-year-old Marley, ending a six-year stay in England.
Speaking in an emotional video posted to TikTok, Ellie revealed the sudden career change came as a shock after arriving in the Saudi capital.
“Okay, well that wasn't on my bingo card for 2026,” she said. “We are in Riyadh, we arrived in Saudi last night and I think I'm still in shock to be honest like how life can change so quickly but that is the joys of football.”
Aston Villa, based in Birmingham, had been the family's home throughout the 30-year-old forward's six-year tenure at the West Midlands club. During his time at Villa, Watkins established himself as a prominent England international striker, while the couple welcomed both of their children.
Ellie explained that spending six years at one club is relatively rare in professional football, making the departure bittersweet after building a settled life and making close friends.
“I've always actually said how lucky I think we are because we've been at Villa for six years which in football terms is actually quite a long time,” she said. “We've had our children there, we've had quite big life events so it feels bittersweet to me. I loved my life there, I settled so well and made the most amazing friends.”
Tearing up during the video, she acknowledged the difficulty of leaving their established life behind while expressing optimism for her children's future in Saudi Arabia.
“So I am feeling quite emotional about leaving that behind,” she added. “But I am excited for a change of scenery, I think it's going to be amazing for the kids and I think they are going to have the best time ever.”
Reflections on a six-year chapter
“Once we are settled and we know what we are doing, it will all be good,” she said. “Getting on with our new life in Saudi so exciting times. I'm also feeling a little nervous but I remember feeling like that when we moved to Birmingham so hopefully you can follow my journey in Saudi.”
In an additional post on Instagram, Ellie shared photos documenting her favourite memories at Aston Villa.
“Anyone that knows me knows how emotional I am, my heart is hurting as we end the most amazing 6 years at Villa,” she wrote. “We had our beautiful babies here, made friends for life and have a built a life here that I will always be so grateful for.”
She also paid tribute to her husband's career progression during his time with the Premier League club, noting how proud she felt of his achievements.
“Watching Ollies career progress here has been so special. I’ve watched some of the highest highs and been there through all of the lows too,” she added. “I couldn’t be prouder of how much he’s achieved but most importantly the person he has remained through it all❤️ I’m so grateful for the amazing people we’ve met along the way and the friendships we’ll take with us. It’s the end of our most amazing chapter. Now it’s time for a new adventure ❤️”
Similar experiences among Premier League partners
Ellie is not the only partner of a Premier League star to describe the emotional toll of a sudden move to the Gulf state. Fellow football spouse Taylor Ward previously detailed her own struggles when her husband, Riyad Mahrez, booked a £30million transfer from Manchester City to Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli.
The sudden move was captured on camera during the first season of Married To The Game, an Amazon Prime reality series focused on the lives of wives and girlfriends of Premier League footballers, as Ward confronted the reality of relocating to Jeddah.
“I feel like everyone is going to be all over the place, it's just going to be so hard, life is going to be so different,” Ward told her sister Darby in tears on the show. She added: “I feel like it is so hard, there are times I can't, I just don't like. I don't like it, I don't have a choice.”
Following Watkins' £51million move to Al-Hilal, Ellie plans to document her family's new journey in Saudi Arabia across social media.
