Arsenal have been linked with a move to sign Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa in 2024, but the striker will apparently cost a fortune.
The Gunners have had a decent start to the season. They are still unbeaten in the Premier League, but their attack just hasn’t been as fluid as it was last season. Many feel Arsenal need a new striker, and Watkins has been linked with a move to the Emirates.
Arsenal target Ollie Watkins likely to cost over £75m
Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins has always been a good striker, but he has taken his game to a whole new level under old Arsenal boss Unai Emery.
The Englishman has scored eight goals and provided five assists in all competitions this season, and there is a chance he will have a number of suitors in January.
Chris Wheatley recently claimed on ShotsTV that Arsenal like Watkins, as well as Ivan Toney, and there is a chance the Gunners could make a move to sign him.
However, journalist Neil Moxley reckons the 27-year-old England international, who Don Hutchison thinks is better than Toney, will cost an absolute fortune for Arsenal or any other club.
He told GiveMeSport: “He is an extremely good and useful person to have spearheading your attack. I was looking at his record and, in 130 appearances for Villa, he has over 50 goals now.
“He has a strike rate of 0.4, so that’s two every five games and four every 10. The top and bottom of it is he is guaranteeing you between 15 and 18 goals a season in the Premier League. How much do those strikers command these days, particularly at Watkins’ sort of age?
“He is 27, so if somebody was going to come along right this very minute and try to offer a fee to entice Ollie Watkins out of Villa Park, I think you’re going to be talking £75 million-plus, if not a bit more because Villa would want to be able to source a replacement.”
Arsenal could get Ivan Toney for a smaller fee
Ollie Watkins is a great player, but a fee of over £75 million is just way too much. Even Erling Haaland, who is arguably the best striker in the world right now, cost less than that – £51 million (Sky Sports).
Arsenal definitely won’t be able to get Haaland from Manchester City, but they can sign another top striker in January for a fee less than £75 million – Ivan Toney.
The Gunners have been heavily linked with a move to sign the Brentford man in the winter window. He will have just 18 months left on his contract then, and Fabrizio Romano recently claimed on the Debrief podcast (as relayed on The Sun) that a deal can be struck for £65 million. The Mirror, on the other hand, claim he’s actually valued at £60 million.
It will be interesting to see which striker, if any, Arsenal will look at in January. We feel there are many better options available on the market than Watkins.