As the January transfer window nears its conclusion, speculation surrounding Ollie Watkins has intensified, particularly regarding a potential transfer to Arsenal. This renewed interest follows the emergence of a video in which the Aston Villa striker openly expressed his long-held ambition to don the Gunners' colours.
Recent reports from MailOnline suggest that Arsenal submitted an initial bid exceeding £60 million for Watkins last week, a proposal that was swiftly rejected by Aston Villa. The club's hierarchy is resolute in their intention to retain their star forward, who has been pivotal to their Premier League campaign. The situation has been further complicated by the recent transfer of Villa striker Jhon Duran to Al-Nassr, leading to speculation that Villa might be more amenable to negotiations concerning Watkins.
Arsenal supporters have taken to social media to circulate a nostalgic interview from the 2020 London Football Awards, in which Watkins articulated his admiration for Arsenal and his aspirations to play for the club. At that time, he was with Brentford and had just been named EFL Player of the Year, despite the team falling short in their promotion bid. In the interview, Watkins remarked, "That's the dream, to play for Arsenal one day, but you know, it's a long shot."
During the same discussion, he reflected on his ambition to reach the Premier League, stating, "That's the goal to get to the Premier League. I'm an Arsenal fan and Thierry Henry was unbelievable to watch; he was my idol growing up." He further emphasised, "That's the dream to play for Arsenal. It's a long shot. It's only because my family support them and stuff like that but that is the long-term dream."
Following Brentford's unsuccessful play-off campaign against Fulham, Watkins made the leap to the Premier League that summer when Aston Villa secured his signature. He quickly made his mark, finishing as the club's top scorer in his debut Premier League season with 14 goals from 37 appearances.
Since then, Watkins has consistently demonstrated his prowess as a goal-scoring threat for Aston Villa, achieving double-digit goals in each of his five seasons in the Premier League, including the current campaign. He now ranks second on Villa's all-time Premier League scoring list, trailing only Gabriel Agbonlahor by a mere four goals. As the transfer window approaches its end, the prospect of a high-profile move remains uncertain, yet the interest in Watkins is undeniably robust.