With the January transfer window now in its final week, speculation surrounding Premier League clubs is rife.
Tittle chasing Arsenal are one of a number of top flight sides that are yet to complete a senior signing during the current window, but it appears that could be about to change.
According to TBR Football, the Gunners have launched a shock move to sign Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins.
The report claims that the Villans are ‘furious’ after Arsenal made a late move to sign the striker, just days before the end of the mid-season window.
Watkins, 29, has been off of the most prolific goal scorers in the Premier League over the past few seasons.
The England international has scored 80 goals in 200 games for Villa across all competitions – as well as registering 34 assists – having joined the club from Brentford in 2020.
It is claimed that Arsenal have moved to sign Watkins in the wake of Gabriel Jesus’ season-ending injury.
Watkins scored against Arsenal earlier this season
The Brazilian will miss the remainder of the campaign after suffering a cruciate ligament tear, and those in charge of the club’s recruitment are now moving to sign a replacement to bolster Arteta’s attacking options.
The report claims that Villa are unhappy with Arsenal’s timing of the offer, which arrived on the eve of their crucial Champions League clash against Scottish side Celtic.
Secondly, the Villans are also said to be disgruntled about the Gunners’ £60 million bid, which has been rejected instantly as it doesn’t meet Villa’s valuation of the player.
Villa are said to believe that the offer has been made to deliberately unsettle the Englishman, who has scored ten goals in 23 Premier League games this term.
Watkins is under contract with Villa until until 2028, which puts the Midlands club under very little pressure to sell him any time soon.