Arsenal declined to meet Aston Villa's demands of £ 60m to sell striker Ollie Watkins late in transfer The window, it has appeared.
Gunners became increasingly inclined to sign a new attack as the window scored after the damage of both Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus, and made the decision to start an offer for late Watkins in the window, much about Villa's disappointment.
The reports originally claimed Arsenal had an offer of £ 60m before it was later clarified to be £ 40m. Villa was held strong for their demands and Unai Emery was quickly to end speculation Publicly emphasizing the club or the player had no interest in action.
Asked Arsenal's opinions, said journalist David Ornstein Podcast athletic fc Gunners simply disagreed with Villa's rating for Watkins.
“In Watkins, of course these things are not easy when reached such a late point in the window,” Ornstein explained. “Clearly, Villa gave Arsenal the opportunity to make this agreement or hold a conversation based on a 60 million opportunity.
“It was clear that Arsenal was not prepared to do with that value for a 29-year-old, who in their eyes is probably not worth that much.
“They decided to suggest about the 40 million sign. The villa was serious when they suggested £ 60m because they value it here and if they have to make numbers work, with PSR and whatever.
“This is what they would have been prepared to have a conversation. We do not know if it would have led to an offer to be accepted, but the door opened clearly at that level and Arsenal was not prepared to go there” .
A new striker remains a major advantage for Arsenal chief Mikel Artetea, who acknowledged his disappointment to the team's failure to recruit Once the winter transfer window was closed.