Aston Villa reject Arsenal approach for Watkins

Aston Villa person rejected an attack from Arsenal for England striker Ollie Watkins.

Sources confirmed to BBC Sport the Gunners made their enquiry for the 29-year-old connected Monday.

Watkins started successful Villa's Champions League crippled against Celtic connected Wednesday nighttime astatine Villa Park, with reports of a £60m Arsenal bid archetypal surfacing hours earlier kick-off.

Villa sources accidental they person nary volition of allowing Watkins to leave, particularly with continued speculation linking chap striker Jhon Duran with a determination to Saudi Arabia.

Sources besides told BBC Sport that Villa are unhappy with the timing of the approach, which came successful the build-up to a cardinal Champions League fixture and a week earlier January's transportation deadline day.

It is not wide if Arsenal volition instrumentality with further offers earlier Monday's 23:00 GMT deadline.

Watkins has 10 goals successful 31 games this season, though is yet to people successful the Champions League, and struck the equaliser successful Villa's 2-2 gully astatine Emirates Stadium earlier this month.

The England planetary has 80 goals successful 200 appearances for the Midlands nine since joining from Brentford for £28m successful 2020.

The Gunners are looking for a caller striker earlier the January transportation model closes, with Gabriel Jesus retired with a superior genu wounded helium suffered successful the FA Cup decision by Manchester United this month.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said connected Friday that the Gunners "need immoderate help" successful onslaught this season.

He said the nine were "actively looking" to motion a striker who was capable to "make an impact" aft losing some Bukayo Saka and Jesus to semipermanent injuries.

"So we deficiency goals, we deficiency people, we deficiency options successful the frontline, it's clear," Arteta said.

The Gunners are challenging for the Premier League rubric for the 3rd play successful a enactment but are six points down Liverpool - who besides person a crippled successful manus - successful the table.

Arsenal person besides been linked with RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko and Wolves guardant Matheus Cunha.