Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal side are in the market in search of a striker that can elevate the squad’s quality. The Gunners have now added Aston Villa marksman Ollie Watkins to their summer wish list.
This is as per reports from Spanish outlet Fichajes, which mention that Arsenal are keeping tabs on the 28-year-old forward. Sporting Director Edu Gaspar and Arteta are both admirers of the player, who has climbed the English football ladder in some style.
Ollie Watkins first came into prominence while playing for Brentford between 2017-20. While the side were still in the Championship back then, Watkins helped them lay the foundation for their current side.
He made 143 appearances for the Bees across competitions, scoring 49 goals and providing 17 assists. Such was his impact on Aston Villa that they broke the bank to sign him for a then club record fee of £28 million in 2020.
Since joining, Watkins has made 151 appearances for Villa, netting 61 times and providing 25 assists. Of those, 53 goals and 25 assists have come in the Premier League, showing his ability to perform consistently at the top.
Watkins stands at nearly six feet tall and is a versatile striker. He can either play as a target man or also drop deep for link-up play. Primarily right footed, his weak foot packs a punch too as he can score with it effectively. Watkins also has a keen sense of playmaking and his growth in that aspect has been wonderful to see this season.
So far, the Englishman has racked up 13 goals and 12 assists in just 25 league appearances for Aston Villa. These numbers are that of a world class striker, and nobody since Thierry Henry has managed this for Arsenal in recent years.
Considering he is a near 30-goal striker for Villa, Ollie Watkins will not come cheap. Arsenal will likely have to shell out in excess of £50 million to land their target in the summer.
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