Arsenal is moving ahead in its search for a striker. They have identified Aston Villa’s Ollie watkins as a possible recruit.
This 27-year old has had a great season for his club, England and himself. He scored seven goals for Villa in all competitions and also for England in their match against Australia.
Spanish sources claim that Watkins is interested in moving to North London, but they also say a deal will not be simple due to Villa’s desire to be amongst the top six English clubs.
The Gunners would have to make a very significant offer in order to lure the fast forward from Villa Park. He still has five more years on his current contract after signing an extension this month.
Arsenal must also tread lightly to ensure they do not break the Financial Fair Play rules. However, sales in January may allow them to speed up their plan.
North Londoners were also linked to Brentford shooter Ivan Toney, and Napoli sensation Victor Osimhen. Both would command a higher fee than England’s Watkins.
Villa will compete in the Europa Conference League in 2023-24 under Unai Eery, but Arsenal’s offer of Champions League soccer could be enough to convince him to move.
Mikel Arteta is open to bringing a star striker into the Emirates. This would suggest that Mikel has a positive attitude towards Eddie Nketiah and his constant injuries.
