Arsenal’s Bid for Ollie Watkins Rejected as Villa Stand Firm Ahead of Transfer Deadline

The attempted signing of Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins received rejection from Arsenal who seek another striker purchase ahead of Monday’s transfer deadline.

The England international Ollie Watkins faces strong opposition to leave Villa, according to manager Unai Emery, because he proved essential during Villa’s 4-2 win versus Celtic to qualify for the Champions League round of 16.

The Premier League’s most reliable attacker, Ollie Watkins, holds a central position in Emery’s Villa blueprint for securing a top-four finish.

Villa striker Jhon Duran will undergo medical tests on Thursday as he approaches finalizing a £64 million move to Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.

Aston Villa Don’t Want To Sell Ollie Watkins

Due to Duran’s imminent departure, the club will not sell Watkins during this transfer period unless they find an adequate substitution. Villa have been linked to Chelsea’s Joao Felix yet there remains doubt about any prospective agreement.

Arsenal’s bid for Watkins emerged during Wednesday’s afternoon proceedings at the same time as both teams competed in Champions League action.

Sources show that Arsenal’s interest in the player dates back much further than recent reports while the club exhibited an extended period of admiration toward the 28-year-old.

Watkins has a history of speculation with Arsenal but Villa management maintains his availability status as “not for sale.”.

A combination of Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka’s injuries has made Arsenal strengthen their search for new strikers because Mikel Arteta now lacks sufficient offensive options.

Newcastle’s Alexander Isak and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko are targets for Arsenal but a January transfer deal seems improbable at this time.

The transfer window deadline requires Arsenal to decide if they should renew their Watkins deal bid or move forward with other player acquisition options.

The operation to acquire Mathias Zaka from Birmingham looks challenging since Villa decimates any day transfer initiative.