Arsenal are pushing to sign Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa in the final days of the January transfer window. As first revealed by The Secret Scout, the Gunners have approached Villa with talks ongoing and it later confirmed by the Mail that an opening offer had been rejected.

The England international is a boyhood Arsenal fan and would clearly improve Mikel Arteta's attacking options having contributed to 18 goals this season. Alexander Isak remains the dream target but it has seemingly become clear that new signings are needed imminently and he will not leave Newcastle in the next few days.

Villa's Jhon Duran has also been strongly linked to Arsenal but it now looks as though Watkins is the priority. With that being said, football.london's writers have debated the signing and whether or not it is the right move for Arsenal.

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Tom Canton

A move for Ollie Watkins might be the most Arsenal signing ever and sadly not for the right reasons. Will Watkins provide an instant impact? Yes, for sure.

However for the suggested figures in excess of £60million, Watkins at 29 years of age offers no resale value, a lack of longevity in terms of output and the move itself surely rules out moves in the near future for younger options like Benjamin Sesko.

If it wins Arsenal the title in this or next season, or the Champions League, it will no doubt be seen as a success. But the likelihood of that happening is low even with Watkins' arrival and should that reality where nothing is won happens, it could be a massive long-term blow for the club.

His finishing numbers are not exactly the levels we want to see either with goal per shot similar to that of Kai Havertz in this and last season. His non-penalty xG of ten is the same for his goal tally - I worry about his deal despite the excitement it has brought.

Kieran Horn

Well it looks as though no one can accuse Arsenal of not trying to bolster their attacking options in the January transfer window.

While a move for Ollie Watkins is certainly a big surprise, given links to other options, it is one that makes sense for a number of reasons. In terms of making an immediate impact, there is perhaps no one better given the fact he has proven himself in the Premier League for a number of seasons and has no major pre-existing injuries.

However, at 29, it is a deal that has to be questioned considering all of the possible alternatives are much younger. Parting ways with £60million is also quite a bold decision to make but Watkins is perhaps the only target that could actually make the switch this month.

So with that being said, he could certainly be the difference between another top-four finish and the Premier League title, but that remains to be seen.

Sam Truelove

Ollie Watkins is exactly what Arsenal need. A striker who has Premier League experience and who has the ability to hit the ground running at Emirates Stadium.

Yes he is perhaps a little older than other targets but he's only 29 and over the next few years Arsenal could see his peak. Watkins is creative too, with the Englishman boasting eight assist this season.

Watkins, who has dreamed of playing for the club since he was young, could be a real fan favourite if a deal does come to fruition. Get it done, Arsenal.

James Quinlan

Ollie Watkins is a great signing - a more than proven Premier League No.9 who in all truth has deserved a step up from Aston Villa, even if they do find themselves a Champions League club this season.

At 29 there is no saying he can't fill the role for a number of years moving ahead, but really the value of the deal would have to come down to the money involved and the immediate return he can give.

Can he fire Arsenal to a Premier League title? They've certainly left him a great platform to do so in the remainder of the campaign. How much is too much? That would have to be anything north of £50m given his age.

Villa obviously don't want to sell Jhon Duran to anyone as he is seen as the future, but as he is eight years younger perhaps in the long run we are going to be questioning if that would have been the better deal for the Gunners, no matter the cost.

Bruna Reis

While I rate Watkins as a player, I don’t think he’s the solution to push Arsenal all the way to the Premier League title. Given that Arsenal have been linked with move for the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Benjamin Sesko and Alexander Isak, it would probably make more sense to hold off until the summer to complete a move for one of those players.

Paying £60m for Watkins now is certainly a bold decision by the club and could prove to be a risk if he doesn’t hit the ground running straight away, especially now, when we’re half way through the season. At 29 years of age, Arsenal can target much more younger alternatives like the three players mentioned above.

Josh Holland

18 months ago, I wouldn't have been opposed to this move but I don't believe that Watkins is the right man to help Arsenal win the Premier League. I don't think any Arsenal fan would be against saving the £60m+ for the summer and doubling it for Isak or Gyokeres.

He's guaranteed goals for the remainder of the season and the Gunners do need a new striker. Watkins is the best of the ones currently available so it's a no-brainer in that sense. But I do have reservations about whether he's the man for the long-term success.

Tom Doyle

Make no mistake, Watkins is a very good striker. He has 10 League goals and five assists this season - but is he going to take Arsenal to the next level? Premier League clubs have form for wasting money on strikers who have failed to make the grade, so. it makes perfect sense why Arsenal would target a seasoned, proven English goalscorer at his peak - and the deal would also weaken rivals Aston Villa.

I'm a big fan of Watkins, but I have doubts. If Arsenal are going to spend £60m on a 29-year-old striker outside the elite bracket, why not wait and spend big on Alexander Isak this summer? The Newcastle star is younger, more talented and could genuinely elevate Arsenal as Salah and Haaland have done at Liverpool and Man City respectively.

Will Watkins make Arsenal a better team? Unquestionably. Is it a good deal? He will cost more than £60m and Arteta would still consider that cheap if he fired Arsenal to the title - but it's a risk. It feels a little off kilter for the Gunners to make an expensive, late move for a forward who will be the wrong side of 30 by the end of 2025 - and in the new PSR era, Watkins' lack of resale value could prove even more expensive down the line.