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 launched a stunning move for Watkins in the final week of the January transfer window but saw their opening bid worth £60m knocked back by Aston Villa.
Mikel Arteta is a known admirer of Watkins and has turned to the England international as he looks for attacking reinforcements before the transfer deadline.
Arsenal are expected to make a second, improved 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.’
England striker and Arsenal target Ollie Watkins
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.
Mikel Arteta wants to bolster his attacking options at Arsenal
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.
Jhon Duran is set to leave Aston Villa
‘Until everything is done I don’t want to speak, because in football everything can happen.
‘The club is working and trying to compete in the transfer window because we need some players. Some can leave, but it is not time to speak about it.’
Emery also suggested he had been trying to convince Duran to stay at Villa Park.
‘You know my opinion on him,’ the ex-Arsenal boss added. ‘A fantastic player.
Aston Villa beat Celtic 4-2 in the Champions League
‘I was always trying to get him with my advice. I was so, so close with him, trying to work with him for his development.
‘But the player has their own objective, own ambition.’
Emerging England star Morgan Rogers scored two goals in the first five minutes of Villa’s win over Celtic.
‘That’s definitely the highlight of my career so far,’ the 22-year-old said. ‘It’s a crazy experience and a crazy game to be a part of.
‘It’s a massive achievement and we should be proud of ourselves. I felt we were on top for the large majority.
‘We scored two goals and that’s what changed the game. We are a bit shorthanded at the back at the moment. We got the win.
‘We had to dig deep, we know we can, we do it in the Premier League every week. We thoroughly deserve it.
‘We’ve got the hunger and the drive and we’ve got a manager who pushes us every day.’
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