Arsenal will submit a second bid for Watkins, as Mikel Arteta’s side believe he is keen on the move and they have the finances to increase their initial £60 million offer — as exclusively revealed by TBR Football.
But Aston Villa are unhappy about Arsenal’s bid for Watkins and they intend to keep their star striker.
The Englishman is a boyhood Gunners fan and the prospect of helping them beat Liverpool to win their first Premier League title since 2004 could potentially be a tantalising one for him.
Team MP W D L GD Pts
1 Liverpool 22 16 5 1 33 53
2 Arsenal 23 13 8 2 23 47
Mikel Arteta has lacked a top-class number nine in his ranks for a number of years, which could explain why they have missed out on two successive league titles under his reign.
However, Ollie Watkins is a proven goalscorer. Several players who have played alongside Watkins, who Thierry Henry has praised also hugely admire him as the Torquay-born marksman has proven that he knows where the back of the net is.
Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Aston Villa FC at Emi...
Photo by Harry Murphy – AVFC/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images
Arsenal star Bukayo Saka said Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins “changed” his life
Bukayo Saka is certainly one of them, who was full of praise for Watkins after he scored the late winner off the bench in England’s 2-1 win against the Netherlands in the semi-final of Euro 2024.
Saka initially revealed how he reacted to Watkins’ goal while speaking to the Three Lions’ official media: “When a moment like that happens on the pitch, I think you can’t really control your feelings, your emotions and your actions as well. I just saw the ball and I went to just smash it as far and as high as was possible.”
View Tweet
“It was just to let out all the passion and all that excitement I had for that moment.”
“Somehow Ollie [Watkins] turned up with the ball that I smashed into the crowd. I don’t know how that happened, but I’m going to have some questions after this.”
Saka admitted that he expected the game to go to extra-time before Watkins, labelled as “incredible” rolled Stefan de Vrij and rifled the ball past Bart Verbruggen to send England through to the final against Spain — which they subsequently lost 2-1.
“I was literally right behind it and I had the perfect angle of Ollie’s goal. Part of me was feeling like it was going to extra-time, but Ollie has just changed all of our lives with that goal and I think everyone is just looking forward to the final now.”
While Saka must be a fan of his countryman, Unai Emery hinted Watkins will snub Arsenal and stay at Aston Villa after they beat Celtic 4-2 in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice claimed Ollie Watkins’ weak foot is “unbelievable”
Declan Rice has also spent a number of years playing with the Arsenal target for England and against him as well.
The former Brentford frontman has punished the North Londoners on plenty of occassions, scoring six goals against them in 10 league appearances.
OLLIE WATKINS RECORD VS ARSENALPREMIER LEAGUE APPEARANCESGOALSASSISTS
Even this season, Watkins shoved Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes after scoring the equaliser in the 2-2 draw between both sides earlier this year.
Rice lauded Watkins’ weak foot when asked to describe him in one word.
The former West Ham United midfielder said: “Weak foot, his weak foot’s unbelievable, he’s got so much more than that but his weak foot’s a joke.”
Mikel Arteta could certainly do with the presence of a striker who is a relatively two-footed finisher and based on Rice’s revelation, Watkins certainly fits the bill in this regard.
Former Arsenal ace Emiliano Martinez said Ollie Watkins deserved “Player of the Season” award
Emiliano Martinez, who nearly spent a decade at the Emirates Stadium has had the pleasure of playing with Watkins since 2020.
Speaking to BBC Sport in April, Martinez felt his Aston Villa teammate deserved to win the Premier League Player of the Season award.
“I think Ollie should win Player of the Season.”
“When you play for a ‘Big Six’ side, you get more credit but Ollie has scored 19 goals with the chances he’s got.”
OLLIE WATKINS IN THE 2023/2024 SEASONPREMIER LEAGUE APPEARANCESGOALSASSISTS
0 Comments