Ollie Watkins would be ‘open’ to joining Arsenal before the transfer deadline as Aston Villa’s asking price is revealed, according to reports.
The Gunners are desperate to bring in a new striker before the transfer deadline after an injury to Gabriel Jesus left them with just Kai Havertz as their main centre-forward option
Jesus will be out until the end of the season with a knee injury and Arsenal are now scouring the market looking for potential striker options before the transfer deadline on February 3.
The Gunners have been told to sign a new centre-forward over the past couple of years with Gary Neville and others claiming they won’t win the Premier League title without a new striker
Arsenal made an unexpected bid for Aston Villa striker Watkins – who has contributed ten goals and five assists in 23 Premier League appearances this term – with initial reports claiming they offered £60m but it was revealed yesterday that the bid was more like £45m
Watkins makes Arsenal transfer decision as Aston Villa reveal their asking price
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins with the Arsenal badge
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins with the Arsenal badge
Ollie Watkins would be ‘open’ to joining Arsenal before the transfer deadline as Aston Villa’s asking price is revealed, according to reports.
The Gunners are desperate to bring in a new striker before the transfer deadline after an injury to Gabriel Jesus left them with just Kai Havertz as their main
Jesus will be out until the end of the season with a knee injury and Arsenal are now scouring the market looking for potential striker options before the transfer deadline on February 3.
The Gunners have been told to sign a new centre-forward over the past couple of years with Gary Neville and others claiming they won’t win the Premier League title without a new striker.
Arsenal made an unexpected bid for Aston Villa striker Watkins – who has contributed ten goals and five assists in 23 Premier League appearances this term – with initial reports claiming they offered £60m but it was revealed yesterday that the bid was more like £45m.
And now the Daily Mail claims that Watkins ‘would be open to joining Arsenal this month but Aston Villa are determined to keep the England international’.
The newspaper understands that Arsenal have ‘still had not given up hope of landing the 29-year-old despite the understanding that Villa will not consider selling Watkins and his strike partner Jhon Duran in the same window’.
‘Arsenal are now weighing up a second offer in hope of reviving the deal but if Duran completes his switch to the Middle East it appears highly unlikely that a renewed bid would be successful.
‘Watkins, for his part, is open to joining Arsenal – the club he supported as a boy – should the two clubs reach an agreement.
forward line this summer should a move for Watkins fail this month, this may be the final opportunity for the forward to join the team he followed as child.
Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton has questioned Arsenal’s summer recruitment with Mikel Arteta’s side currently second and six points off leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.
When asked if serious questions need to be asked if Arsenal don’t win major honours this season, Sutton told Gambling Zone: “I think everybody thought it was going to be their season, or a lot of Arsenal fans felt it was going to be their season, but the consistency that Liverpool have showed has put them rightly at the top of the table.
“I don’t think it’s one where at the end of the season if Arsenal put up a fight and finish second again it’s a disastrous season.
They’ve just been slightly unfortunate as Liverpool were for many years, with Manchester City. The level of the Premier League is so high, Arsenal of course are still in the Champions League, and they may go far in that.
“I suppose the question Arsenal fans would ask is have we done enough good business in terms of bringing players into the club. The age-old debate with Arsenal is whether they should have brought a recognised number nine into the club. I get that, but I do think they’ve been slightly unfortunate with injuries.
“Saka is seemingly out long term. Odegaard missed a large chunk of the season. Havertz gets a panning from everybody, but his numbers compared to last season are pretty similar if not better.
The goals aren’t coming from other areas.
“Where I think Arsenal put themselves under great pressure. At the end of last season, I they won 16 out of the last 18 Premier League games. They’re going to have to do that again to have any chance of winning the league. That’s why I think Liverpool will end up winning the Premier League.
“Arsenal are showing resilience and fighting, but if they finish second and are runners-up in the Champions League…ust about hanging on in the League Cup, they could turn that round. I think all things being equal, if they push Liverpool close, then they have shown consistency. But of course, Arsenal fans are desperate, desperate for silverware.”