Ollie Watkins and Mikel Arteta (Photo by Alex Livesey, Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
Arsenal’s interest in the potential transfer of Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins could still be something to watch out for this summer.
That’s according to Charles Watts in his exclusive CaughtOffside column, as he provides some new insight into Arsenal’s interest in signing Watkins and other strikers.
Watts notes that the Gunners have been in for the England international before, and that there’s still a chance he could become a target for them if other deals don’t work out.
Still, it seems this would require something dramatic to happen with Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres, according to Watts.
Could Ollie Watkins to Arsenal transfer still happen?
Watkins has shone for Villa and makes sense as someone who could strengthen Arsenal, though Watts also notes that his age means his price tag would need to come down.
“It’s only been a few months since Arsenal made an offer for Ollie Watkins, so it’s impossible to sit here and rule out the prospect of them going back in for the Aston Villa striker,” Watts said.
“Mikel Arteta remains an admirer of the forward, but the only way I can see something happening with him this summer is if something pretty dramatic happens with both Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres.
Ollie Watkins celebrates scoring for Aston Villa against Newcastle (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
“Those two are clearly the priorities when it comes to the new striker and I would view Watkins as an option only if neither of those primary targets were to arrive.
“Some will argue that Watkins could come in alongside one of either Sesko or Gyokeres, but again I’m not sure that is really realistic given the money that will most likely be spent elsewhere.
“I think the possibility of Watkins moving to Arsenal would depend a lot on what sort of price Aston Villa would be looking for to do business.
“In January they valued him at around £60 million and that was way above the £40m that the Arsenal hierarchy were willing to pay.
“Given Watkins will turn 30 at the end of the year that valuation from Villa would have to reduce massively for Arsenal…
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