A boyhood Arsenal fan, Watkins would no doubt be interested in the move, but with Jhon Duran swapping Villa Park for Saudi Arabia, a deal does seem unlikely. However, in case Villa’s hand is forced and the 28-year-old does get his dream transfer, here are just three possible ways Mikel Arteta could set his team up with a new striker in the ranks.

Arsenal have FINALLY made a move to sign a striker and it could signal the end of Kai Havert’z time as a centre forward. Many Gooners have grown frustrated with a slow and inactive transfer

Arsenal are pushing to sign Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa. The Gunners have been in need of a new striker for a long time now, and they have been linked with moves to sign several players. Nobody really expected a move for the Aston Villa star, but Arsenal tabled a bid to sign Watkins on Wednesday ahead of their Champions League game.

How does Ollie Watkins compare with Arsenal's current options? We crunch the numbers to see how the England international has fared in front of goal.

Former Aston Villa player, Andy Gray, has advised Arsenal to make a stunning £100million bid to ‘tempt’ Aston Villa to sell their star striker Ollie

Ollie Watkins has perhaps surprisingly suggested that Arsenal were hard done by in seeing their third goal scrubbed off for a handball in Saturday's thrilling 2-2 draw. The Gunners took the lead through Gabriel Martinelli before Kai Havertz doubled the ...

Earlier this Wednesday (January 29), the Gunners allegedly lodged a surprise £60 million bid for Watkins as they are on the hunt for a new striker. However, Aston Villa quickly rebuffed the Gunners' approach. Opining on the Gunners' rejected bid, Gray told beIN Sports (h/t Metro):

Aston Villa were ‘furious’ with the Arsenal approach, and it was a bit of a d*ck move. Not because they’ve made a bid for Watkins, who didn’t magically turn up at Villa after all, but because making the bid so close to arguably Villa’s biggest game of the season is hardly going to ease negotiations.

Arsenal would ‘prefer’ to sign two alternative strikers to Ollie Watkins but have ‘panicked’ in the final week of the transfer window, according to former Gunners midfielder Emmanuel Petit. The north London club are considering making a second offer for England international Watkins after seeing their opening £60m bid rejected by Aston Villa.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has offered a coy response when asked about Arsenal's interest in Ollie Watkins after his side's 4-2 win over Celtic in the UEFA Champions League in Wednesday (January 29).

Marrying his attacking and creative attributes together, Watkins’ off-ball running is also a key part of his wider contribution to his team going forward. Across the Premier League, he is one of the men most likely to stretch the opposition’s defensive line with his intelligent movement.

Arsenal have made a shock offer for Aston Villa and England striker Ollie Watkins in the final week of the January transfer window. Mikel Arteta is desperate to sign a new striker before the winter window closes on Monday night after losing Gabriel Jesus to a season-ending injury earlier in the month.