Arsenal stance on £60m transfer after Premier League club rejected January bid

Arsenal will make signing a new talisman a priority for the summer transfer window as incoming technical director Andrea Berta looks to add firepower to the Gunners squad.

The Gunners put five goals past European titans Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter final without injured strikers Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz but the need for a prolific marksman has not faded. As well as being 13 points off league leaders Liverpool in the Premier League, Mikel Arteta’s side have scored 17 fewer goals than the Champions elect.

Several names have been linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium including Sporting CP man Viktor Gyokeres and Newcastle United star Alexander Isak. In January, the club made a last minute swoop for Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins but the Midlands outfit rejected a £40 million bid.

Aston Villa star to make decision on future ahead of summer window

Villa valued the striker at £60 million but were keen to keep the England international having just sold Jhon Duran to Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Nassr. Watkins was then expected to reclaim his role as the club’s number one striker but the arrivals of Marcus Rashford from Manchester United and Marco Asensio from PSG on loan deals have not helped the player’s game time.

Watkins was on the bench for both of the Champions League quarter final legs against PSG and GiveMeSport now claims that a desire for guaranteed game time could motivate a potential summer exit from Villa Park. That would depend if Aston Villa make use of the £40 million option to buy Rashford from Manchester United.

The outlet claims that Watkins is ‘preparing to assess’ his future at the club he joined from Brentford for £33 million in 2020. The striker is thought to have a place in Thomas Tuchel’s squad for the 2026 World Cup front and centre of his mind.

That news could prick the ears of Arsenal fans, however the report adds that the Gunners are ‘unlikely’ to make a fresh bid for Watkins during the summer window and will focus on other targets.

Mikel Arteta asked about Ollie Watkins interest

When asked about the January bid for Watkins, Arteta said: "I can't talk about any of that. My confidence is that we have an amazing club with people always working to try and improve. Let's see what happens."

On the wider search for an experienced striker over the winter, he explained: "We don't really look at the market in those terms. We look at what we have in this squad, what we are lacking and what can really impact and bring something that potentially can make us much better, regardless of the age or sometimes the background that they have. It's a real belief that that player can be really good for us over time.”

Speaking about his game time after the win over Southampton this month, Watkins said: “For me, I’m not happy to sit on the bench. It's disappointing every game that I am on the bench but it is the manager’s decision at the end of the day. The timing of the goal, coming off the bench, not being in the starting line-up. Disappointed to not play, [but] when you put all that into consideration, I’m happy to score.”

In other news, Unai Emery has already told Arsenal how to beat PSG in Champions League semi-final.