Arsenal could still go back for Ollie Watkins this summer, according to a report, with no obvious decision made on their priority striker target.
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 18: Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Aston Villa FC at Emirates Stadium on January 18, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
James McNicholas reports for The Athletic that Arsenal’s hierarchy have debated the merits of both Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko ahead of the summer transfer window, and if they’ve made a clear decision on their preference, it’s not one that’s leaked to the media at large.
The same report even adds that a move for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins hasn’t been discounted, though Arsenal would have reservations over the price, just as they did in January.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 15: Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Aston Villa FC at Goodison Park on January 15, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
Sami Mokbel reports for the BBC that he understands Arsenal are still working towards confirming the frameworks of both the Gyokeres and Sesko deals before making a final decision on how to proceed.
So perhaps the recent reporting that Sesko was the clear priority was premature.
Fabrizio Romano’s confirmation that Arsenal were in concrete talks with the striker and his club was generally taken to mean the Gunners were solely pursuing that deal, but the reality seems to be that they’re still keeping their options open at this stage.
LEIPZIG, GERMANY: Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig looks on during the Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and VfB Stuttgart at Red Bull Arena on May 17, 2025. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images
The Athletic previously wrote that Andrea Berta was staying informed on Watkins’ situation, and that Mikel Arteta was a fan of the player. But that doesn’t necessarily mean a move is on the cards, just that it might be if preliminary talks for other options don’t pan out as hoped.
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