According to ESPN, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta personally wants to sign striker Ollie Watkins, who snubbed Tottenham Hotspur to join Aston Villa.
ESPN are reporting this morning that Arsenal are looking at Watkins as a possible replacement for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Arsenal manager Arteta himself is a fan of Ollie Watkins’s ‘playing style and his ability to play in a number of different roles in attack’.
The Gunners are unlikely to be able to sign the 26-year-old striker in the January transfer window.
However, according to the report, Arsenal will continue to monitor Watkins – described as “an outstanding striker” by former Villa star Gabby Agbonlahor on YouTube in September 2021 – with a view to a summer move.
Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa to Arsenal could happen
In our opinion, Ollie Watkins could leave Villa for Arsenal in the summer of 2022.
Yes, Villa are a massive club, but Arsenal are hugely ambitious and could end up in the Premier League top four this season.
Moreover, Watkins is an Arsenal fan, and the chance to play for the Gunners could be too tempting for him.
The 26-year-old said in November 2020 that he is an Arsenal fan (The London Evening Standard).
Interestingly, Tottenham wanted to sign Ollie Watkins when he was at Brentford.
The Englishman held talks with Spurs, but he decided to turn down them for a move to Villa in the summer of 2020.
Watkins told Sky Sports in May 2021: “There were quite a few. Leeds were interested in me, but they signed Rodrigo.
“Tottenham were interested in me – they made it clear if Harry Kane was fit, then he would play.
“I did have that in the back of my mind, but they said with the schedule and the Europa League, there were a lot of games coming up.
“I had big decisions to make, but in the end, I felt like I made the right one. The gaffer was a huge part in bringing me to Villa.
“I had worked with him and had such a close relationship with him at Brentford. Some of the lads used to say, ‘your dad wants you,’ if he was in the office – he was the man!”
Ollie Watkins has scored five goals and provided one assist in 15 Premier League starts for Villa so far this season.
The Villa no. 11 scored 14 goals and gave five assists in 37 league matches for the Villans last season.
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