Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka loves playing for England alongside Ollie Watkins and now, there’s a possibility the duo could link up at the Emirates.
The race to sign a forward before Deadline Day is heating up for Mikel Arteta, with Ollie Watkins identified as a primary target.
Arsenal submitted a £60m bid for Watkins, an attempt that was shot down by Aston Villa, who are at risk of losing their two strikers this winter.
Fellow Arsenal target Jhon Duran looks set to join Al-Nassr, putting pressure on the Gunners’ hierarchy to get their second attempt to sign Watkins right.
Bukayo Saka relives Ollie Watkins moment that ‘changed’ his life
As Duran prepares for a lucrative transfer to the Saudi Pro League, the chances of Arsenal signing Watkins look slim.
While that’s how things seem from the outside, Unai Emery’s reaction to Arsenal’s bid for Watkins told a different story.
The former Gunners boss implied that every player has a price, putting the ball in Arsenal’s court to table an improved, and hopefully irrefutable, offer.
Arsenal fans have a split opinion on Watkins due to the player’s price tag however, his arrival would undoubtedly make one member of the squad very happy.
In the summer of 2024, Bukayo Saka credited Watkins for changing his life, reliving the moment that the striker scored to send England into the Euro 2024 final.
“I was literally right behind it and I had the perfect angle of Ollie’s goal,” Saka told England’s media team.
“Part of me was feeling like it was going to extra-time, but Ollie has just changed all of our lives with that goal.”
Watkins became England’s hero with his sublime last-gasp goal when the stakes couldn’t have been higher at Euro 2024, earning a life-long supporter in Saka.
Saka and Watkins at Arsenal would be dangerous
Though Saka and Watkins have rarely graced the pitch together at international level, the pair could combine in the near future if Arsenal are successful in their transfer wish.
Given how potent the two forwards were last season in all competitions, Arteta could hand his prized winger with the target man to give Arsenal that much-needed clinical streak.
| Player | Goals | Assists |
| Ollie Watkins | 27 | 13 |
| Bukayo Saka | 20 | 14 |
| Total | 47 | 27 |
The deal looks difficult to pull off, as Arsenal angered Villa with the timing of their Watkins bid but, as Emery explained, every player has a price.
Arteta could restore Arsenal’s deadly quality in the final third by fusing Saka and Watkins, who already have a life-long chemistry after the highs of last summer.
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