Premier League heavyweights Arsenal have reportedly failed with a bid to sign 29-year-old Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins but will likely return with an improved offer.
According to a report by Sky Sports, Ollie Watkins is the subject of interest from Arsenal. The Gunners have been scouring the market for a striker heading into the winter transfer window, with the Aston Villa attacker emerging as a target. However, the North London giants have failed with their opening bid and will likely return with an improved offer to sign the English forward.
The rise and rise of Ollie Watkins
Ollie Watkins has established himself as one of the best players in the Premier League since joining Aston Villa from Brentford in September 2020. A native of Torquay, the Englishman spent his formative years in nearby Exeter and graduated from the youth division at Exeter City.
The 29-year-old rose in prominence during his stint with Brentford before seeing his stock skyrocket during his spell with Aston Villa. Watkins has been a talismanic figure for the West Midlands outfit in the last few seasons, and he has contributed to 20 goals in 32 appearances across all competitions this term by finding the back of the net 11 times and providing nine assists.
Meanwhile, Watkins’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several well-known clubs across Europe. Premier League bigwigs, in particular, have shown interest in the English international, with recent reports linking him with Liverpool. However, Arsenal will aim to beat the competition to his signature in the winter transfer window.
London return on the horizon?
Ollie Watkins has been on Arsenal’s radar for a long time, with Mikel Arteta an admirer of his talent. The continued interest in the Aston Villa attacker is understandable, considering the Gunners have been scouring the market for a striker heading into the winter transfer window due to the unsatisfactory output from Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz this season.
So, several candidates, including Jhon Duran, have emerged on Arsenal’s radar, and Duran’s teammate Watkins is also a viable target. The North London giants have failed with their opening bid to sign the 29-year-old Englishman. However, they will likely return with an improved offer to land the Aston Villa forward.
Fabrizio Romano has suggested that Arsenal’s opening offer was worth around £60 million. It will be interesting to see if the Gunners can convince Aston Villa with their next bid. However, it will not be surprising to see the Villans digging their heels in as Duran closes in on joining Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr this month.
