Ollie Watkins: Why Arsenal walked away from deal for Aston Villa striker

Arsenal declined to meet Aston Villa's demands of £60m to sell striker Ollie Watkins late in the transfer window, it has emerged.

The Gunners became increasingly keen to sign a new forward as the window ticked on after injuries to both Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus, and made the decision to launch a bid for Watkins late in the window, much to Villa's frustration.

Reports initially claimed Arsenal had bid £60m before it was later clarified to be £40m. Villa held firm on their demands and Unai Emery was quick to end the speculation by publicly stressing neither the club nor the player had any interest in a move.

Quizzed on Arsenal's thoughts, journalist David Ornstein told The Athletic FC Podcast the Gunners simply did not agree with Villa's valuation of Watkins.

"On Watkins, naturally these things are not easy when it gets to such a late point in the window," Ornstein explained. "Clearly, Villa gave Arsenal the opportunity to do this deal or have a conversation on the basis of a £60m possibility.

"That was something clearly Arsenal were not prepared to do at that value for a 29-year-old, who in their eyes is probably not worth that much.

"They decided to suggest around the £40m mark. Villa were being serious when they suggested £60m because that's where they value him and if they need to make the numbers work, with PSR and whatever else.

"That's what they would have been prepared to have a conversation for. We don't know if it would have led to an offer being accepted, but the door was clearly opened at that level and Arsenal weren't prepared to go there."

A new striker remains a key priority for Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, who admitted his disappointment towards the team's failure to recruit after the winter transfer window had closed.

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