January 31, 2025
Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins is reportedly considering a move to Arsenal this January. The Gunners have made an unexpected bid for the striker. The transfer deadline approaches in just 72 hours.
29 year old Watkins had his first offer from Arsenal turned down by Aston Villa. The club refuse to let him go mid-season, especially since Jhon Duran’s expensive transfer to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia is nearing completion. They seem determined to keep Watkins, believing that he is essential to their team.
Fabrizio Romano on his Youtube video says that Emery has told the Villa board that Watkins must stay. Adds that this means Arsenal could do something crazy and try to find an agreement for Watkins or more to a different target and that Mathys Tel looks very interesting
Unai Emery said after Arsenal bid: “I don’t want [to sell]. It is good news to have offers from other clubs. We want to keep our sporting objective through the players we have in the squad.
“Every player can be in the market if it is good for the player and the club. To get this deal we are going to be demanding. Watkins is our striker.”
Despite the rejection, reports indicate that Watkins is open to joining Arsenal. He has been a supporter of the North London club since childhood and wishes to seize this opportunity before it passes him by. This makes the idea of a transfer appealing to him.
Arsenal is considering making a second offer for Watkins. However, they expect that Aston Villa will reject this bid as well, especially if Duran’s transfer goes through. The Gunners know they are facing a tough negotiation.
In light of this situation, Arsenal is also monitoring Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich. The club might explore bringing in the 19-year-old striker on loan if they cannot secure Watkins. The urgency of their search for a forward is clear as the deadline approaches.
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