Arsenal still have Ollie Watkins on their transfer wishlist after attempting to sign the Aston Villa striker in January.
Since the Gunners’ interest, Watkins has protested to Unai Emery about game time, having to compete mid-season with Jhon Duran.
Duran, also a target of Arsenal’s, left Villa Park in the January window before competition increased once more with the arrival of Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford.
It’s understood that Watkins was disappointed not to join Arsenal, his boyhood club, in the winter market, but all hope is not lost for the striker.
Kai Havertz must be wary of Arsenal’s interest in Ollie Watkins
Arsenal haven’t forgotten Watkins, as The Athletic informed fans that the England international remains an option despite reservations over his price tag.
Being a player who outscored every Arsenal player in both the 2024/25 and 2023/24 Premier League seasons, it’s clear why the 29-year-old appeals to Andrea Berta.
Mikel Arteta wants a striker, and Watkins certainly fits the bill, as BBC pundit Danny Murphy lauded the forward’s comfort when playing as a centre-forward.
“He just looks like a player that is completely comfortable in his own skin and what he is good at,” Murphy said during the 2024/25 campaign.
What came next from the pundit might alert Kai Havertz, as Murphy noted how competition only made Watkins better.
“Every aspect of his game has improved under Unai Emery, and he is also being pushed for a place by Jhon Duran, so that always helps you raise your game. He is a terrific player.”
While Watkins’ excellence as a number nine has been applauded, Havertz’s lack of comfort as a striker has been raised since his transfer to Arsenal.
The German has many qualities, but that doesn’t make him the goalscoring presence that Arsenal require, something that Watkins has in abundance.
What Murphy said about the Englishman raising his game due to Duran’s emergence only sends a warning to Havertz, given that the Villa star was the one who stayed in Emery’s plans while the Colombian departed.
Pros and cons of Arsenal signing Watkins
Arteta is open to tweaking Havertz’s role, which could give the 2023 signing the chance to show his expertise in attacking midfield.
This would open up a vacancy to lead the line for Watkins, but his potential arrival would certainly split opinion between Arsenal fans.
Watkins is a Premier League-proven number nine capable of scoring freely in the top flight, but he’s also set to turn 30 a few months after the 2025/26 calendar commences.
Signing a player of his age as a first-choice striker would be a concern for Arsenal, particularly as Arteta looks for long-term solutions for his squad.
That being said, on the subject of solutions, Watkins provides an instant upgrade on the Gunners’ current goalscoring options.
The Englishman isn’t the only striker Arsenal are looking at, as Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres are also in the picture.
It remains to be seen who Berta opts to go for in the summer, but interest in Watkins mustn’t be discarded regardless of whether one of the European marksmen arrives.
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