Exeter City will receive another financial boost after Ollie Watkins left Aston Villa for Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal.
The England international sealed a £50million move to Saudi Arabia on Sunday, a week after sitting out Villa's opening match of the season, a 4-0 loss to Brighton. He becomes the latest big name to leave Villa Park this summer.
The transfer ends a six-year spell at Villa, during which Watkins became the club's Premier League record scorer with 91 goals in the top flight and helped them win last season's Europa League.
"Firstly, I'd like to say never did I intend, nor did I imagine my time at Aston Villa would end this way," Watkins said in a video posted on Instagram.
"With that being said I'm eternally grateful for the last six years. Not only has it shaped me as a player, but as a person. We've been through so many ups and downs during my six seasons here.
"But one thing that has never changed is that I've given everything for this club. From my first goals in the 7-2 win against Liverpool, getting the club back into Europe, the Champions League nights at Villa Park to that unforgettable night in Istanbul."
After thanking his three managers at Villa Park, Dean Smith, Steven Gerrard and Unai Emery, Watkins added: "It's time for a new chapter that I'm excited about. However, I close this chapter with a heavy heart. Villa will always mean so much to me. Thank you guys, from the bottom of my heart."
A Villa statement said: "Capable of scoring different types of goals with a ruthless streak, allied to a selfless work ethic for his team's benefit, Watkins leaves Villa having played his part in our UEFA Europa League victory and with the very best wishes of everyone at the football club."
City will be entitled to a portion of that fee. Under FIFA regulations, whenever a professional player is transferred for a fee before their contract expires, five per cent of the total transfer fee is reserved to compensate the clubs that trained and developed the player between the ages of 12 and 23.
Watkins joined Exeter City's academy at age 11 and remained at the club until his move to Brentford in 2017, when he was 21. The Grecians will earn between 3.5 per cent and 4 per cent of the entire transfer fee paid for Watkins, with the Bees getting the other proportion.
With the fee at £50m, that leaves City earning between £1.75m and £2m from the solidarity payment. The Grecians have already earned £1.8m from the initial sale of Watkins to Brentford, plus a further £4m from the 15 per cent sell-on clause when he moved to Villa, and then a further £750,000 when all the add-ons were met.
Exeter City Due Another Ollie Watkins Windfall After Villa Exit