What Aston Villa have done with Ollie Watkins immediately after Arsenal transfer bid speaks volumes

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Arsenal are preparing to face Girona knowing that a professional performance is required to cement their spot in the top eight of the Champions League initial league phase.

You would have been forgiven in forgetting that the Gunners had a huge Champions League night on the pitch, as Arsenal have made an initial £60 million bid for Ollie Watkins.

As Mikel Arteta looks to bring in attacking reinforcements to help with the push for trophies, it seems the club has landed on Watkins to be the difference maker and hopeful of concluding a deal.

Watkins himself wants to move to Arsenal having supported the club as a young boy however, Aston Villa are furious with the timing of the bid. Villa have also made another interesting move in the transfer saga.

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Ollie Watkins starts for Aston Villa against Celtic amid transfer speculation

Aston Villa face a huge night in the Champions League as they need a win over Celtic to also qualify for the top eight and secure automatic passage into the last-16.

Unai Emery has named Watkins in the starting line up for the match, with Jhon Duran on the bench amid transfer speculation involving the Colombian international too.

It seems to be a clear indication from the Midlands club that they have Watkins well and truly in their plans for the season.

A deal for the England striker could hinge on a number of factors and Watkins playing tonight could impact the complexity of the transfer.

Ollie Watkins has an excellent scoring record against Arsenal

Perhaps one of the reasons that Arteta is interested in signing Watkins is his incredible record against the Gunners.

Watkins has scored six goals in ten appearances against Arsenal including the equaliser in the 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium recently.

His goal was also a decisive factor in Aston Villa beating Arsenal 2-0 at the Emirates back in April 2024, a result that ultimately cost Arsenal the Premier League title.

If a deal can be struck, there may be some relief that Watkins would be scoring goals in red and white at the Emirates for a change.