Report: Aston Villa reject Arsenal bid for Ollie Watkins

Arsenal have had an initial bid in the region of £60m for Ollie Watkins rejected by Aston Villa, according to reports.

With a matter of days left in the transfer window, a flurry of rumours emerged on Wednesday evening that the Gunners had seen an offer of around £60m for the star striker rejected by the Midlands side.

Many would assume Villa won't be willing to part with such a valuable asset at this point of the season but while Arsenal have had their initial interest rebuffed, reports claim they are

Aston Villa reject Arsenal bid for Ollie Watkins

X user TheSecretScout was the first to break the news, revealing that talks are advancing between Arsenal and Aston Villa despite the rejection. They added that while the Gunners want to bring Watkins in before deadline day, Villa want to sign January target Joao Felix before sanctioning a sale for their star man.

It is said that Watkins wants the move with talks between his representatives and Arsenal not expected to be an issue. The Villains view Jhon Duran as their long-term centre-forward and would sell Watkins for the right price. With the Colombian currently in talks over a move to Al Nassr, however, there could be disruption to that plan.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano added to the reports saying that Villa were not happy with the timing of Arsenal's bid due to their crucial Champions League tie with Celtic tonight. This may bring about some conflict amid any future negotiations.

Sami Mokbel of MailSport suggested that Villa will see themselves as being in a strong position during any negotiations due to Watkins' contract situation. The striker has three years remaining on his current deal so the Midlands side won't be pressured into agreeing a discount fee.

Both the club and fans will be spurred on by Watkins' boyhood love for the club. Speaking on the future of his career in 2020, he said: "That’s the dream, to play for Arsenal one day. But, you know, it’s a long shot."

Given the striker's brilliance in front of goal, it is hard not to be excited by this potential move. Watkins has netted 10 goals in 23 league appearances so far this season so would no doubt offer some real threat up top.

There will be concern over his age however. At 29-years-old, most would argue that Watkins is nearing the end of his 'prime' and with Arsenal seemingly willing to splash over £60m on him, they must view him as a long-term option.

Watkins could very well lead Arsenal to the Premier League title this season and if he can maintain his form over the next few years, there is no doubt this move would be a great investment by the club.

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