Arsenal and Liverpool have received a huge boost in the pursuit of Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins, as per transfer expert Mike Brown.
The Englishman has established himself as a talismanic figure for the Villans since joining from Brentford. He helped his side qualify for the Champions League last campaign and guided them to reach the quarter-final of this competition.
However, following Marcus Rashford’s arrival on a loan deal in January, Unai Emery opted to keep Watkins on the bench in a few crucial encounters. However, since Rashford’s injury absence, the former Bees star has played a key role in the final few games of this season.
In 54 appearances in all competitions, the 29-year-old has scored 17 goals and registered 14 assists this season. Moreover, he has helped Emery’s side qualify for the Europa League.
Now, speaking on Football Insider, Brown says that having failed to secure Champions League football next season, Aston Villa could be forced to sell a few players to balance the books and will be open to letting Watkins leave this summer.
Arsenal attempted to hire him last January, and despite the Villans’ rejection, they haven’t cooled their interest in him and could revive their interest during the offseason.
Battle
The outlet claim that Liverpool are also interested in signing Watkins and have been keeping a close eye on his situation before making a potential swoop.
Therefore, given that the Villans are open to selling Watkins unwillingly, this is a huge boost for Arsenal and Liverpool in pursuit of him.
Brown said:
“Aston Villa will look to sell Watkins this summer. Arsenal tried to sign Watkins in January and that interest hasn’t gone away. Villa paid around £30million for him, and he’s been worth far more than that to them with what he’s achieved since he’s come in.
“Now, they believe they can make a profit on him if clubs come in with offers. It’s not their fault but it’s the situation they’re in, and he is seen as a sellable asset.”
Arsenal need a Premier League proven striker like Watkins to close the gap with Liverpool, while the Villa star would be a shrewd acquisition for the Reds as a potential replacement for underperforming Núñez, who has been linked with a move away from the club.
It is going to be interesting to see whether Arsenal or Liverpool can secure Watkins’s service in the upcoming transfer window, should he eventually leave.
