‘Aston Villa ace Ollie Watkins head turned by Arsenal’ as contract offer mooted
Ollie Watkins may be struggling at Aston Villa after being linked with a move to Arsenal in the winter.
The England international was subject to a bid from the Gunners in the most recent window but any approach was instantly rejected by Unai Emery.
This has coincided with a difficult run of form for the 29-year-old, who has scored just one goal in his last nine outings for the Villans.
This could point towards a move to the Emirates being at the back of his mind as he looks ahead to the summer window in B6.
Watkins could still leave Aston Villa for Arsenal
There is no doubt that the forward has been superb since signing for Villa from Brentford in 2020, being catapulted to a new level under Emery.
This has seen Watkins net important strikes against the likes of Brentford and Liverpool this season as goals have been shared throughout the squad.
With that being said, his output has begun to dry out since the introduction of Marcus Rashford, which could prompt an exit in the summer.
| Stat (Premier League 24/25) | Ollie Watkins |
| Appearances | 31 |
| Goals | 13 |
| Assists | 6 |
After a link-up with Mikel Arteta was already mooted, former Leicester City and Brentford manager Martin Allen has suggested the idea of an Arsenal transfer could be having a negative impact on his form.
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, Allen said: “My guess is that the approach made by Arsenal in the January window may have turned his head.
“There may be contact between his agent and Arsenal, they may be set to offer him a contract because Arsenal need a centre forward and they made a bid in January.
“Maybe, he is thinking that he wants to go and try at Arsenal for a few years to score the goals to take them to a title.
“Maybe, he’s been affected by the conversations, so there will be a lot of things going on in his mind.“
Watkins destined for Aston Villa exit
The former Exeter City man has been arguably the Villans’ most important player in recent years, but the reliability on him is slowly falling away.
This has seen Emery look to get the best out of the likes of Morgan Rogers and Marco Asensio in attacking areas, which has worked excellently in recent weeks.
As a result, the departure of Watkins could come at a useful time for Villa, who may be on the lookout for a new forward in the summer anyway.
Monchi will have one eye on PSR and a big-name sale like the England international could be ideal for all parties as his form continues to frustrate in B6.