Aston Villa tell Watkins to forget about moving to Arsenal | OneFootball

Arsenal made a late attempt to sign Ollie Watkins in this transfer window, but their approach came too late to have any real chance of success.

Watkins, a lifelong Arsenal fan, has long been linked with a move to the Emirates, and many believed he could be the ideal addition to Mikel Arteta’s squad. However, despite Arsenal’s interest, the timing of their approach all but ended any possibility of a deal materialising.

Aston Villa had initially been open to selling one of their strikers in this window, with Jhon Durán attracting interest from multiple clubs. Once the Colombian sealed a lucrative transfer to Al Nassr, Villa no longer had a financial need to offload another forward. This significantly reduced Arsenal’s hopes of securing Watkins, and they have now been advised to forget about any potential move this month.

(Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Unai Emery, naturally, was questioned about Arsenal’s reported interest and whether Villa would consider selling Watkins. Speaking to the Daily Mail, the Spaniard made it clear that the striker is not available.

“Yes, yes. We talked with him, and he is very focused on the message we have,” Emery said.

“He is happy to stay. You can ask him, but we asked him how he is feeling every day, every year he has been here with Aston Villa, with us and without us.

“The commitment of Ollie Watkins with us is a huge commitment. He appreciates a lot how Aston Villa were always supporting him, helping him, and when we arrived here two years ago, how we worked with him, always trying to get the best of him.”

Emery’s comments leave little room for speculation—Watkins is fully committed to Villa and is unlikely to push for a move. Arsenal’s approach, therefore, appears to have been both unrealistic and poorly timed.

For a club of Arsenal’s stature, making a move so late in the transfer window is disappointing and suggests a lack of decisiveness in their recruitment strategy. If they are serious about strengthening their squad, they must act with more urgency and efficiency in future transfer windows. Watkins may have been a long-term target, but unless Arsenal significantly change their approach, securing his signature will remain a distant possibility.