Arsenal have had a bid rejected for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins.
However, it is expected Arsenal will return with an improved offer.
Villa’s position is that Watkins is not for sale, which makes it unlikely a deal will be done in this window.
News of Arsenal’s bid for Watkins broke just hours before Villa’s Champions League clash with Celtic, with Watkins starting the tie.
Jhon Duran, on the bench again on Wednesday night, is also the subject of interest in this window, with Al Nassr weighing up an offer to take him to the Saudi Pro League.
Watkins, known to be an Arsenal fan, is the Premier League’s ninth-top goalscorer this season with 10 goals – including Villa’s equaliser at Arsenal earlier this month.
The 29-year-old has five goals in 18 games for England, including the winner in last season’s Euro 2024 semi-final victory against the Netherlands.
Analysis: Arsenal likely to bid again
Sky Sports News’ Kaveh Solhekol:
“This is big, big news.
“It is expected that Arsenal will go back in with an improved offer.
“The story is a little bit complicated because Villa have two number nines, effectively, who are in demand.
“I am pretty sure that Villa’s position will be that Watkins is not for sale and he has three years on his contract.”
Analysis: Arsenal move raises three questions
Sky Sports’ Pete Gill:
“Well, this is unexpected. And there are immediately three issues seemingly at play.
“The first, most obviously, is Arsenal’s pressing need for a striker. But who predicted they would identify Ollie Watkins as their first solution?
“The second is the apparent struggle of Unai Emery to play Waktins and Jhon Duran together. Does something have to give? And given there has already been plenty of speculation around Duran moving on, do Villa have a choice to make around which striker stays?
“And the third is the timing. Arsenal’s bid has been apparently made just hours before Villa’s critical Champions League tie with Celtic. Why now? And how well did they think this would land on tonight of all nights?”
‘Not ideal timing for Aston Villa’
Sky Sports News’ Dhanyal Khan at Villa Park:
“It’s just a few hours before this game against Celtic where Aston Villa are looking to skip the play-off round in the Champions League.
“It’s a huge surprise, as there haven’t been any rumours about him leaving the club in January. The timing isn’t ideal at all for Villa, especially having rejected a bid for their other No 9, Jhon Duran, from West Ham last week.”
When Watkins admitted he dreamed of Arsenal move…
Back when Watkins was a Brentford striker in the Championship, he was asked in March 2020 whether he would want to join his boyhood club Arsenal, and admitted it was “the dream” to turn out at The Emirates.
“Thierry Henry, as an Arsenal fan, was unbelievable to watch. He was my idol growing up,” he told Sports Gazette.
“The dream is to play for Arsenal one day but it’s a long shot. My family support them and stuff like that, but that’s the long term.”
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