Arsenal make surprise bid for Ollie Watkins – Fabrizio Romano

Arsenal launched a surprise bid for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins earlier on Wednesday, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Gunners are in the market for a striker and have evidently identified a familiar face. According to transfer insider Romano, Arsenal launched a formal offer for Aston Villa star Watkins on Wednesday.

Arsenal had previously been linked with the 29-year-old, but this proposal came completely out of the blue. Romano reports that the money on the table amounted to around £60 million (€72m) and that Villa rejected the bid for the boyhood Gunners supporter.

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Moreover, Unai Emery and company are said to be unhappy with their North London counterparts as the proposal came in on the same day as a crucial Champions League clash with Celtic.

Aston Villa also in Duran talks

The striker market appears to be heating up ahead of the European February 3 deadline. Aston Villa also remain locked in talks with Saudi giants Al-Nassr over Jhon Duran, who has been given a €100m price tag.

Al-Nassr have already agreed a €60m financial package for Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface, but Duran remains their preferred option and they are expected to make a final decision on whether to go through with the Boniface deal later today, Wednesday.

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The Saudi window already shuts on January 31, so there is a sense of urgency in the talks over Duran, whom Villa would prefer to keep, although there have also been reports that they could accept a €70m offer.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are scouring the striker market and are looking for ‘opportunities,’ with Mikel Arteta having already confirmed that his side will be active before the window shuts.

Top targets Benajmin Sesko and Alexander Isak are not expected to be available, so they have had to look at alternative options like Evan Ferguson, Igor Jesus and, it seems, Ollie Watkins.