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Arsenal are facing significant challenges in their pursuit of Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa. The Gunners submitted an initial £60m bid for the 29-year-old striker, which was swiftly and angrily rejected by Villa.
Transfer Dynamics:
- Villa manager Unai Emery firmly stated, "I don't want [Watkins] to leave" and emphasized they will be "very demanding" in negotiations
- The timing of Arsenal's bid, just before Villa's crucial Champions League match against Celtic, further complicated matters
- Villa's potential sale of Jhon Duran to Al Nassr for £64m makes it unlikely they'll sell both star strikers in the same window
- The club needs a striker after Gabriel Jesus' season-ending injury
- Watkins, a known Arsenal fan, has scored 10 goals this season and has 81 goals in 201 Villa appearances