Unai Emery sends message to Arsenal over Ollie Watkins transfer
Unai Emery insists he does not want to lose Ollie Watkins and says Aston Villa will be ‘very demanding’. In any possible deal involving the striker after Arsenal’s failed £60m offer.
The Gunners launche a stunning move เล่นเกมคาสิโน UFABET ทันสมัย ฝากถอนง่าย for Watkins in the final week of the. January transfer window but saw their opening bid worth £60m knocke back by Aston Villa.
Mikel Arteta is a known admirer of Watkins and has turne to the England international as he looks for attacking reinforcements before the transfer deadline.
Arsenal are expecte to make a second, improve offer for Watkins but Aston Villa boss Emery has no intention of losing him.
‘I don’t want him to be sold,’ Emery said after Aston Villa’s Champions League victory over Celtic. ‘It’s good news to have offers from other clubs.
‘Every player can be in the market in case it’s good for the player, club and the team.
‘But to get this deal, of course we are going to be very demanding and Watkins is our striker.’
Mikel Arteta also addressed the rumours around Watkins after Arsenal’s Champions League game, though he had little to say on the topic.
‘I can’t talk about any of that,’ he said after Arsenal came from behind to beat Girona 2-1.
‘My confidence is that we have an amazing club with people always working to try and improve. Let’s see what happens.’
Watkins had an eventful evening against Celtic, scoring a goal, providing an assist and missing a penalty in an entertaining 4-2 win.
The 29-year-old, who supported Arsenal growing up, has 81 goals in 201 appearances for Aston Villa.
Emery is particularly resistant to offers for Watkins as fellow Villa striker Jhon Duran is closing in on a big-money move to Saudi Arabia.
Duran was linked with Arsenal, Chelsea and West Ham earlier in the window but Al-Nassr are set to secure his signature in a deal worth around £65m.
Asked if Duran had played his last game for Villa, Emery said: ‘Tomorrow or Friday we can talk about the transfer, or maybe next week.