“I need assurance….”: Ollie Watkins reveals he’s ready to join Arsenal ‘ON ONE CONDITION’ after scoring in champions league match yesterday
Arsenal secured their place in the Champions League round of 16 with a 2-1 victory over Girona in Spain on Wednesday night. The Gunners ended the league phase in third, level on points with Barcelona in second and Inter Milan in fourth.
Former Tottenham Hotspur player Arnaut Danjuma had put the Girona in front after 28 minutes before two goals in four minutes from Jorginho and Ethan Nwaneri clinched maximum points for Arsenal. Jorginho scored from the penalty spot with Nwaneri curling in a beautiful curling strike from the edge of the penalty area. Raheem Sterling had a chance to make things more comfortable with a second penalty but saw his spotkick saved while Girona did have a goal ruled out by VAR for offside in the second half.
The big news ahead of the game was that Arsenal had a £60m bid for Ollie Watkins rejected by Aston Villa – who clinched a place in the top eight after beating Celtic 4-2 in Birmingham.
Second Arsenal bid ‘expected’ for Euro 2024 hero as ‘talks advancing’
Watkins has established himself as one of the Premier League’s best strikers and with Arsenal in need of goals, they have targeted a move for the England international. Watkins scored for Villa against Celtic on Wednesday while also missing a penalty as he slipped when hitting the ball. With Arsenal’s first bid rejected, the Daily Mail reports that an improved bid is expected from North London ahead of Monday’s 11pm transfer deadline.
I’m saying this now. If Arsenal sign Ollie Watkins this window.
Arsenal will win the Premier League this season. pic.twitter.com/c7IKz7UKzP
— AD🦋 (@ADViews_) January 29, 2025
to the TheSecretScout, Watkins wants to move to Arsenal and that talks are advancing between his representatives and the Gunners. However, a move could hinge on whether Villa can sign Joao Felix from Chelsea. Speaking earlier this week, Fabrizio Romano said Felix was a dream target for Unai Emery. He said on his YouTube channel: “And then Joao Felix. Joao Felix remains the dream target for Unai Emery. I told you many times. Unai Emery is obsessed with this one. So if today, tomorrow, in two days, in three days, on Monday, Chelsea decide to open the door to the exit of Joao Felix, Aston Villa for sure will try. For sure, they will try to make it happen.
“Because Unai Emery is in love with the player. And also those close to the player believe that Unai Emery could finally be the right coach to trust him, to play him consistently and show the excellent quality of Joao Felix. But, again, it’s not guaranteed.”
Watkins career so far
The 29-year-old from Torquay made his professional debut with Exeter City in 2014 before being snapped up by Brentford in 2017. Three years later, he joined Villa for a then club-record fee of £28m. He has scored 81 goals and provided 35 assists in 201 games for Villa and has 69 Premier League goals in 169 appearances in the competition – along with 31 assists.
