Ollie Watkins could be tempted to join Arsenal, and the north Londoners should return with an offer in the summer after a failed January move.
According to Football Insider, Ollie Watkins would be open to joining Arsenal in the summer and fulfilling his long-standing dream. The Aston Villa striker failed to join the Gunners in January after his club rejected a proposal from the north Londoners. However, whether they return with an offer again remains to be seen.
Arsenal made a late move for Ollie Watkins, which left Aston Villa furious about the timing of the offer. The Birmingham side was about to play their crucial Champions League game against Celtic when the news of the Gunners’ bid became public in the media. The club was also negotiating a sale for Jhon Duran.
Duran eventually signed for Al-Nassr, which made Aston Villa take a stance on Watkins’ future, as they would have significantly weakened their squad had they agreed to sell him. Meanwhile, the Gunners were hopeful of luring the striker and playing with his ‘heartstrings’, knowing that the England international is a boyhood Arsenal fan.
The Gunners could return with an offer in the summer, as there’s a feeling Aston Villa might consider a strong proposal if it matches their asking price. Watkins, for his part, is reportedly eager to make the switch to north London if an opportunity arises, although that will depend on whether Mikel Arteta’s team returns to the table.
Arsenal are expected to enter the summer window in need of a new striker, as they are short in that position. They did have many other names on their shortlist apart from Watkins but decided against signing anyone due to the unavailability of most names.
Will Arsenal sign Ollie Watkins in the summer?
Arsenal’s need for a new striker would see them target a host of names once again, although the Aston Villa star might not be on top of their list. Alexander Isak is understood to be their top target, but his price might make it difficult for Arsenal to tie up a deal.
Arsenal are also extremely keen on Benajmin Sesko, and it could be interesting to see if they make a move for him. Hence, any move for Watkins will depend on what comes of their pursuit of the other names on the list. For now, any new offer from the Gunners for the Aston Villa star seems complicated, although these things can quickly change with time and circumstances.
