- Watkins’ improved form has made him a top target as Arsenal look to bolster their frontline
- Paul Merson argued that age should not be a barrier, dismissing concerns over Watkins being 29 as irrelevant to his current impact
- With the transfer window closing soon, Arsenal are under pressure to secure a striker who can contribute immediately
As the transfer deadline looms, Arsenal legend-turned-pundit Paul Merson has called on his former club to make a bold move and sign Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, no matter the cost.
With the Gunners desperate to strengthen their attacking options, Merson believes Watkins is the ideal target and has urged Arsenal to table a £100 million bid to test Villa’s resolve.
Arsenal has been on the hunt for a prolific centre-forward to complement their attacking lineup. Despite being linked with several strikers, including RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko for a summer move, Mikel Arteta’s side is under pressure to reinforce before Monday night’s deadline. Watkins has emerged as a prime target, but Aston Villa remain reluctant to sell their star man, especially after offloading Jhon Durán to Al-Nassr.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Merson insisted that Arsenal must remain patient with Arteta but also urged them to make a decisive move for Watkins.
He dismissed concerns over the striker’s age, arguing that signing him would immediately elevate Arsenal’s chances of challenging for major honours,
“Arsenal have to be patient. Stay patient with Arteta and Arsenal will be there or thereabouts, I would get Watkins. I hear Arsenal fans say he’s 29. Who cares? It’s for now, next year and the year after. After that, it doesn’t matter. Put in £100m! If they do that, I’d be shocked if Villa turned that down,” Merson said.
Watkins has been in impressive form for Villa, registering 20 goal contributions in 32 games across all competitions. Although he started the season slowly, his resurgence in recent weeks has made him Aston Villa’s main striker, making it even harder for the club to part ways with him.
Arsenal reportedly submitted an initial £40 million bid, which was swiftly rejected by Villa. A follow-up bid of around £50 million has been considered, but it remains highly unlikely that Villa will accept such an offer before the deadline.
With Arsenal’s long-term focus on securing Sesko in the summer, it's unlikely they'll spend a lot on Watkins. However, Paul Merson believes that if the Gunners are serious about a title charge, they must act decisively before time runs out.
Victor Osimhen to Arsenal? Pires names the perfect forward for Arteta’s side
Previously, TheRadar reported that Arsenal’s failure to claim the Premier League title since their iconic Invincibles season in 2003-04 has left many questioning what the club needs to finally end their long wait.
According to former Arsenal star Robert Pires, the answer is simple, get a "real striker." He urged Arsenal to sign a true goal-scorer, comparing the club’s current squad to his own playing days when the team had Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, and Nwankwo Kanu to rely on.
