Former Scotland striker Andy Gray urges Arsenal to make a staggering £100 million bid for Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins, suggesting it might tempt the club to sell. Gray believes Watkins would be a significant upgrade on Kai Havertz and a perfect fit for Arsenal, but acknowledges Aston Villa's reluctance to part ways with their star striker.
Former Scotland striker Andy Gray has called on Arsenal to launch a staggering £100 million bid to persuade Aston Villa to part ways with their star striker, Ollie Watkins . While Aston Villa rejected Arsenal 's initial £60 million offer for Watkins, rumors suggest the Gunners are poised to submit an improved proposal.
Mikel Arteta is fervently seeking a new forward before the January transfer window slams shut, aiming to bolster his attacking options in a bid to secure a triumphant title run in the second half of the season. Gabriel Jesus' season-ending injury earlier this month underscored the need for reinforcements, though the Brazilian's form prior to the injury was far from consistent. Since his £65 million transfer from Chelsea, Kai Havertz has also endured some challenging spells, leading many pundits to believe that Arsenal require a fresh striker to realistically challenge for major trophies. Arsenal have been linked with several high-profile strikers this month, including Benjamin Sesko, Dusan Vlahovic, and Victor Osimhen, but their pursuit of England international Watkins appears to be their primary objective. Watkins' impressive performances last season, culminating in 27 goals that propelled Aston Villa into the Champions League, have further solidified his standing as a coveted asset. His crucial contributions to England's Euro 2024 campaign highlight his ability to perform on the grandest stages. The 29-year-old has openly expressed his admiration for Arsenal as a boyhood fan, admitting that playing for them would be a dream come true. Gray, a former Sky Sports pundit, firmly believes Watkins would flourish at Arsenal, representing a significant upgrade over Havertz. However, he casts doubt on Aston Villa's willingness to sell their star player, especially for any price.'I think the timing is poor,' said the 69-year-old former Scotland striker on beIN SPORTS. 'Is it going to get done in the next couple of days? There's talk of a massive bid from Saudi for Jhon Duran so there's uncertainty in that area of the pitch for Unai Emery. Mikel Arteta wants to bring Watkins to Arsenal but I would be amazed if Aston Villa decided, for any money, to part ways with Ollie Watkins. I would be amazed. Arsenal are his boyhood club so it's always your dream to play for them, especially when they are as good as they are. I actually think he would be a good fit for Arsenal, I really do. But I would not like to see him leave Aston Villa right now, especially with the uncertainty around Duran. I would be amazed if they sold him for any money in this window, I cannot see them letting him go. He's a better finisher than Kai Havertz, he would score a lot more goals because he knows how to play in that position better than Havertz. In that team, Arsenal create so much so he would get goals. Arsenal are panicking with a few days to go, throw £100m on the table and see if that tempts them.' Watkins' recent performance in Aston Villa's Champions League victory over Celtic, where he scored, provided an assist, and missed a penalty, underlined his undeniable talent. This victory secured Aston Villa a top-eight position, guaranteeing their direct progression to the knockout stages and avoiding the play-off round. Chris Sutton, a former Premier League striker, hailed Aston Villa's achievement as a testament to Unai Emery's managerial prowess and the team's collective spirit. 'It is a massive, massive deal for Aston Villa to finish in the top eight,' Sutton stated on BBC Radio 5 Live. 'You think about how they are trying to develop under Unai Emery and looking to compete on the domestic and European fronts, to get a top eight place is credit to the manager and the team. The pressure was on them tonight against Celtic, and there was a little wobble before half time. But they got there in the end and Morgan Rogers was unplayable. They can now put their feet up as the other teams go head to head in the play-off.
Arsenal Aston Villa Ollie Watkins Transfer Rumours Mikel Arteta Kai Havertz Champions League Unai Emery
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