Arsenal are once again in the market for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins.
The boyhood Arsenal fan has long been linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium and got reasonably close to making the move to north London in the January transfer window.
Arsenal were in the market for a striker – as they have been for some time now – and Watkins was seen as a potential signing, with Villa looking to recoup some money to remain within Financial Fair Play guidelines and Profit & Sustainability Rules.
However, Jhon Duran would make the move to the Saudi Pro League instead, for around £64.5million and the Villans had no interest in letting both their frontmen leave in the same window.
There was also another issue – Arsenal ‘s valuation of the England striker. Unai Emery and Villa were demanding a fee in the region of £60million for the 29-year-old.
However, football.london understands Arsenal did not see that as good value for money for the striker. Watkins would be a short to medium term option for the north London club and the finances did not add up for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Now, Arsenal have another opportunity to sign Watkins. Reports from Portugal claimed that the Gunners were advancing talks to sign the striker as an alternative to Viktor Gyokeres at Sporting CP.
Arsenal have been put off by the £68million price tag on Gyokeres’ head and were looking elsewhere, with Watkins an option once more.
Aston Villa failed to qualify for the Champions League on the final day of the Premier League season, when losing to Manchester United. The lost finances of that failure could hurt Villa and then in turn lead to them needing to sell, which could favour Arsenal and their pursuit of Watkins, with suggestions they could even sign him for less than the £40million they were prepared to pay in January.
