Ollie Watkins and Mikel Arteta (Photo: Alex Livesey, Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
Interest in the potential transfer of Arsenal Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins may still be something to keep an eye on this summer.
That’s according to his exclusive Charles Watts Catch off side As he offers new insights into Arsenal’s interest in signing Watkins and other strikers.
Watts points out that the gunners had previously joined England International and that if other deals don’t work, there’s still a chance he could become their target.
Still, this seems to require dramatic things with Benjamin Sesco and Victor’s Gyoker.
Will the Arsenal transfer from Ollie Watkins still happen?
Watkins shines for the villa and makes sense as someone who can bolster Arsenal, but Watts also points out that his age means his price tag needs to drop.
“It’s only been a few months since Arsenal made an offer to Ollie Watkins, so it’s impossible to sit here and rule out the chances of returning to Aston Villa striker,” Watts said.
“Mikel Arteta continues to be a admirer of the forward, but the only way you can see something happening with him this summer is if something pretty dramatic happens with both Benjamin Sesco and Victor Gyoker.
“These two are obviously priorities when it comes to new strikers, and we only consider Watkins an option if none of these major targets arrive.
“Some people argue that Watkins can come along with either Sesko or Gyoker, but given the money that is likely to be spent elsewhere, I don’t know if that’s really realistic or not.
“I think the chances of Watkins moving to Arsenal will depend heavily on what prices Aston Villa is looking for to do business.
“In January, they valued him at around £60 million, well above the £40 million that the Arsenal class was willing to pay.
“Watkins turns 30 at the end of the year and the ratings from Villas will have to be significantly reduced to Arsenal consider doping something for the striker.”
Arsenal goalscoring needs to be dealt with urgently
Arsenal disappointed the 2024/25 season, when they struggled to score.
While there will always be no new strikers this summer, the new winger could be a handy addition to Mikel Arteta’s team.
AFC can’t afford to do anything too loud, so leaving Watkins options open also makes some sense, even if Sesko or Gyoker looks more appealing.
Villa certainly doesn’t want to sell such a key player, but they missed out on qualifications for the Champions League, so there may be financial issues that mean selling before buying will become an important part of this summer’s strategy.