Ollie Watkins: Unai Emery reveals striker's Arsenal transfer decision
- Arsenal have tabled multiple bids for Ollie Watkins
- Aston Villa have been angered by these offers for their leading striker
- Unai Emery & Mikel Arteta offered their opinion on the situation
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery revealed that Ollie Watkins is "committed" to staying in the Midlands despite extensive transfer interest from Arsenal.
The England international was the subject of a surprise bid from the Gunners this week. While reports vary on the size of the sum put on the table, ranging from £40-60m, Villa made it abundantly clear that their star striker was not for sale this month.
Arsenal were thought to be lining up another offer for the 29-year-old, yet Emery has taken a public stance to quash any further speculation. "The commitment of Watkins with us is a huge commitment to defend Aston Villa," the former Arsenal boss told assembled media at his press conference on Friday.
"He appreciates a lot how Aston Villa was always supporting him, helping him. When we joined here two years ago, how we worked with him - we are always trying to get the best of him. Now we need him, like he needed Aston Villa in the last years. The conversations we are having with him, he's always adapting to every circumstance we have."
Watkins may be staying at Villa Park, but his strike partner Jhon Duran is on the cusp of agreeing an eye-watering move to Saudi Arabian outfit Al Nassr.
"Of course when some teams call us being interested in the players, it's very good for us," Emery pointedly noted. "Some players prefer to leave. Some players accept to be here and commit to us here and one of them is Ollie Watkins."
"He's happy to stay," Emery concluded. "You can ask him but we asked him how he's feeling every day and every year with Aston Villa and he's happy here."
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta refused to talk about "individuals", but addressed his side's wider search for a striker. "We have the ambition and purpose to try to help the team, support the squad to be better and to finish the season strongly," the Spanish boss said. "We're actively trying to do that."
The Gunners are one of half a dozen Premier League clubs supposedly interested in Brighton & Hove Albion striker Evan Ferguson. However, the Gunners would have to buy the Republic of Ireland international as they have already filled their quota of Premier League loanees.