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Unai Emery has confirmed that Ollie Watkins is “happy” to remain at Aston Villa following the club’s rejection of Arsenal’s bid for the striker.
Aston Villa have firmly rejected an unexpected bid from Arsenal for striker Ollie Watkins, making it clear that the forward is not for sale this January. The bid, reportedly worth around £60 million, was turned down by Villa, who are keen to keep Watkins as they continue their push for a top-four finish in the Premier League and progress in the Champions League.
Villa manager Unai Emery confirmed that Watkins is “happy to stay” at the club, emphasizing his commitment and importance to the team. Watkins, who has scored 11 goals this season across all competitions, has been a key player for Villa, recently scoring in their 4-2 win against Celtic in the Champions League.
The rejection of Arsenal’s bid comes at a time when Villa are also close to finalizing the sale of fellow striker Jhon Duran to Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr. Despite the potential departure of Duran, Villa are determined to keep Watkins, who has expressed his appreciation for the club’s support and his desire to continue contributing to their success.
Arsenal, on the other hand, are still in the market for a striker following Gabriel Jesus’s injury and have been linked with several other targets, including Chelsea’s Joao Felix and Paris Saint-Germain’s Marco Asensio. However, Villa’s stance on Watkins remains unwavering, with Emery stating that the club will be “very demanding” if they are to consider any offers for the player.
Whether Arsenal will make a better offer for Watkins is still up in the air as the January transfer window draws to a close. For now, Villa are focused on maintaining their squad and pushing for a successful season.
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