The Daily Mail has reported Arsenal have been keeping tabs on Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins for quite some time and want to sign him in the winter transfer window. The player himself is interested in making the move to the Emirates Stadium, but Villa are doing all that they can to keep hold of their star striker.
Aston Villa do not want to let Ollie Watkins leave the club
Watkins has grown into one of the best strikers in the Premier League since making the move to Aston Villa. He took his time to settle at the club, but since becoming a regular for the first team, he has been an integral part of the success of the club on the pitch.
Watkins has scored 10 goals in 23 matches so far in the Premier League 2024/2025 season. Six of the 10 goals were scored at home, while he scored four goals at away games. Overall, his goals scored per 90 minutes is 0.56. Moreover, Watkins’s total G/A (goals + assists) is 15 for this season. His goal involvement equates to 0.84 per 90 minutes. His non-penalty xG per 90 minutes is 0.52. This puts Ollie Watkins’s npxG output at 8.92.
The performances of the English striker has attracted the attention of many high-profile clubs, and Arsenal are leading this list. The Gunners are having issues in the attacking half due to the underperformances of Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz. Moreover, Bukayo Saka and Jesus’s injuries have stirred the attention of the club to get a striker on board. Hence, they are going all guns blazing to sign Watkins from Aston Villa.
Why are they blocking his move to Arsenal?
Arsenal have already had their first bid rejected for the player, but they would soon come up with an improved offer. Villa want to keep hold of him at any cost, as they have already lost Jhon Duran. The player is set to join Al-Nassr. Hence, they want to keep hold of Watkins, as they have qualified for the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League. They need their best player to progress deep into the competition.
Meanwhile, Villa are eighth in the Premier League points table with 37 points in 23 matches. Hence, they want to keep hold of their main player and not let him leave mid-season to finish in the European spot at the end of the season.
