Ollie Watkins was linked with a move to Arsenal in the January transfer window and could be once again in the summer
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Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins scored his thirteenth goal of the season against Liverpool
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins(Image: (David Davies/PA Wire))
Arsenal’s desperate need to sign a striker in the summer hasn’t gone away, but the likelihood of that striker being Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins might well have done.
That’s according to The Athletic journalist David Ornstein who has hinted that particular transfer ship ‘has sailed’, with the Gunners expected to turn their attention elsewhere.
Their interest emerged in the January transfer window when Villa were fielding interest in both of their front-line forwards, Watkins – for whom Arsenal offered a fee that fell a long way short of Villa’s valuation – and Jhon Duran.
There was a period when publicly at least there seemed to be a genuine debate about which one Villa should keep, whether to retain Watkins’ proven Premier League pedigree or invest in Duran’s physical traits and high ceiling.
As we all know they chose the former as the Columbian was sold to Al-Nassr for around £64million. That left Arsenal having to cobble together solutions up front where Gabriel Jesus is out for the season with a knee injury and Kai Havertz won’t play again this term due to a hamstring problem.
As a result they have been linked with a host of strikers, with Viktor Gyokeres, Benjamin Sesko and Alexander Isak among the names most commonly associated. Watkins’ name is less commonly linked and speaking on The Athletic FC podcast, via TBR Football, Ornstein suggested Mikel Arteta has moved on.
“January saw them (Arsenal) attempt to sign Ollie Watkins,” Ornstein said. “It was an opportunity presented to them potentially by Aston Villa, depending on what decision they would make on Jhon Duran.
“It didn’t work out with Arsenal. John Duran departed and let’s see if that ship has sailed now. I think most probably, but you never know in this industry.”
Whilst that is not a definite no, the speculation around other targets points to a missed boat for boyhood Gunners fan Watkins, who has carried on regardless spearheading Villa’s three-pronged assault.
The Athletic also notes that Watkins will be 30 in December, well beyond the age-range Arteta has traditionally gone for.
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