Arsenal have made a surprise move for Aston Villa and England striker Ollie Watkins in the final days of the January transfer window. Seeking to bolster their attacking options after Gabriel Jesus' season-ending injury, Arsenal have submitted a £60m bid for Watkins, a consistent performer in the Premier League. While the bid has been rejected by Aston Villa, Arsenal are expected to follow up with another offer.
Arsenal have made a surprise move for Aston Villa and England striker Ollie Watkins in the final days of the January transfer window. Mikel Arteta is eager to add a new striker to his squad before the window shuts on Monday night after Gabriel Jesus suffered a season-ending injury earlier this month. While Kai Havertz has continued to be deployed as a striker, Arteta has repeatedly defended the player despite his struggles since his £65m move from Chelsea.
Arsenal have been linked with several high-profile strikers in recent weeks, including Benjamin Sesko, Dusan Vlahovic and Victor Osimhen, but they have now turned their attention to Watkins, a consistent performer in the Premier League for the past three seasons. The Daily Mail reports that Arsenal have approached Villa with a substantial offer worth around £60m for Watkins, but their initial bid has been rejected. Arsenal are expected to come back with another offer for the 29-year-old, who is a long-term target for Arteta. Watkins has been a prolific goalscorer for Villa, reaching double figures in the Premier League in each of the last five seasons. Last year, he netted 27 goals in all competitions, helping Villa secure a Champions League qualification spot under Unai Emery. Watkins also played a significant role for England at last summer's Euros, scoring a crucial injury-time winner in the semi-final victory over the Netherlands. Watkins is under contract at Villa for another three years, but he could be tempted to join Arsenal, the club he supported as a child. In 2020, while playing for Brentford, Watkins admitted it would be his 'dream' to play for Arsenal. Arsenal chiefs believe Watkins could be the missing piece in their pursuit of a Premier League title. They are currently six points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand. Meanwhile, Villa are in eighth place as they balance their domestic and European commitments. Emery's team have qualified for the next round of the Champions League but may need to go through a play-off to secure a place in the knockout stages, depending on the outcome of their final group game against Celtic and other results. Aston Villa may be surprised by Arsenal's move for Watkins as it is their other striker, Jhon Duran, who has been linked with a transfer away from the club this month. Arsenal, Chelsea and West Ham have all expressed interest in signing Duran, but he could now be set for a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.
ARSENAL ASTON VILLA OLLIE WATKINS TRANSFER PREMIER LEAGUE MIKEL ARTETA FOOTBALL NEWS
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