Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have now been linked with Ollie Watkins, and Gunners fans will be interested to hear that the Aston Villa striker turned down the chance to join Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2020.
Arsenal interest
The Sun are reporting that Arsenal want to sign England international striker Watkins from Premier League rivals Villa.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is open to selling French striker Alexandre Lacazette in the January transfer window if he can bring in a replacement.
Villa striker Watkins is one of the players Arteta is considering.
Tottenham Hotspur interest and blow
This is not the first time that Watkins has been linked with a club in North London.
Tottenham wanted to sign the striker back in the summer of 2020, according to the player himself.
However, Watkins did not want to be a back-up to Harry Kane and joined Villa instead.
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 to Arsenal?
Described as “an outstanding striker” by former Villa star Gabby Agbonlahor on YouTube last month, Watkins would make Arsenal better and more potent in attack.
The striker is only 25 and can only get better.
However, it is very unlikely that Villa will sell the England international in the middle of the season.
The Villa no. 11 scored 14 goals and gave five assists in the Premier League last season.
Watkins has scored one goal in five Premier League games for Dean Smith’s side so far this campaign.
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