Aston Villa make huge Ollie Watkins decision after Arsenal transfer approach
Unai Emery has chosen to name Ollie Watkins in his starting XI for Aston Villa's crucial Champions League game against Celtic. On Wednesday afternoon, surprising news dropped that Arsenal had made an approach to sign Watkins in the January transfer window, as per The Secret Scout on X.
The 29-year-old, as an Arsenal supporter ever since he was young, is believed to be open to the move and that there should be no issues in agreeing personal terms with talks already advancing on the side of the player.
Following that, further details of what has already happened were revealed with the Mail claiming that an opening proposal had been rejected by Villa, with that valued at around £60million, and that an improved bid was on the way.
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It is also worth noting, however, that the deal going through is not guaranteed especially as Villa are far from pleased at the timing of it all coming to light and insist he is not for sale, according to the Press Association news agency. Despite the talk surrounding him, Watkins has been given the nod up top for the clash against Celtic with Jhon Duran on the bench.
As there is just a few days of the winter window remaining, it appears as though clubs are desperately trying to get players in before deadline day on Monday, February 3. While Emery faces decisions over Duran and Watkins, Villa are also interested in a move for Chelsea's Joao Felix.
The Portugal international arriving at Villa Park will almost certainly result in one of Watkins or Duran leaving with Chelsea also interested in the latter. Regardless of what the real truth is, the next few days will certainly be interesting as this saga unfolds.
