The future of the England striker is shaping up to be one of the most discussed topics as the transfer window draws to a close, following a significant offer from Arsenal.
The Gunners submitted a formal bid to Villa, aiming to strengthen Mikel Arteta’s attacking lineup, which has been weakened by injuries, but their initial offer was rejected. ..Continue Reading
Despite this setback, Arsenal, aiming for their first Premier League title since 2004 and a strong Champions League campaign, are expected to return with an improved bid. Watkins’ reaction to the transfer speculation has been encouraging for the north London club.
According to the Daily Mail, Watkins is open to joining Arsenal and would agree to terms if an agreement is reached between the two clubs.
Watkins has been an Arsenal supporter since childhood and has previously expressed that it is his ‘dream’ to play for the Gunners.
The 29-year-old would provide a significant boost to an Arsenal squad that recently lost Gabriel Jesus to a season-ending injury.
Watkins would likely take over as the main striker, replacing Kai Havertz, who has struggled for consistency since his £65m transfer from Chelsea.
As a member of England’s Euro 2024 squad, Watkins has scored 81 goals in 201 appearances for Aston Villa, with 27 of those coming in a standout 2023-24 season.
The former Brentford star added to his tally on Wednesday night as Aston Villa wrapped up their Champions League group stage with a thrilling victory over Celtic.
Aston Villa had previously turned down an offer for Watkins, as fellow striker Jhon Duran was on the verge of a big-money move to the Saudi Pro League.
With Duran’s departure imminent, manager Unai Emery is even more determined to retain Watkins, and Villa have not provided Arsenal with an indication of a fee that would change their stance.
However, according to The Telegraph, Villa Park officials privately value Watkins at over £80m, suggesting that Arsenal would need to make a substantial offer to persuade them to sell.
Addressing the speculation surrounding Watkins after Villa beat Celtic, Emery said: ‘I don’t want him to be sold.
‘It’s good news to have offers from other clubs. Every player can be in the market in case it’s good for the player, club and the team.
‘But to get this deal, of course we are going to be very demanding and Watkins is our striker.’
Aston Villa face Wolves on Saturday while Arsenal face Manchester City this weekend before club bosses can focus on Monday’s transfer deadline day.
