Ollie Watkins to Arsenal transfer depends on one thing with rivals ruled out

Any hopes of Arsenal signing Ollie Watkins this summer relies on the Aston Villa man's true desire to ditch his club in the hunt for silverware.

That's according to former Villa defender Stephen Warnock, who has had his say on the England striker's future following a standout season in the Premier League.

Despite a heartbreaking loss to Spain in the Euro 2024 final, Watkins' last-minute winner against the Netherlands in the semi-finals wrote his name into England's history books. Subsequently, the Villa striker is hot property, and top clubs, including Arsenal, would no doubt love to have him.

The former Brentford hitman previously revealed how he had a childhood affection for the Gunners, and ex-Liverpool, Leeds and Villa man Warnock has stated that he can envisage the Gunners signing Watkins – but only if the striker really craves title success.

With Villa gearing up to play in the Champions League group stages for the first time since it was rebranded from the European Cup, Watkins will be content at Villa Park following their fourth-place finish. But realistically, he won't be challenging for the title under Unai Emery, despite their valiant effort last term.

It has been suggested that Villa would demand around £80million for the 28-year-old – a price that may prove too steep to tempt any suitors, including Arsenal.

Yet, if Watkins wants to lift trophies, Warnock believes that he could make a move, and Arsenal are a side in need of a striker that can help bridge the gap between themselves and Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.

Speaking to BetVictor, Warnock said: “Ollie Watkins’ England prospects depend firstly on what Harry Kane does next and also on who comes in to replace Gareth Southgate as manager.

"That's out of Watkins’ control at the moment, but he only gets chances for England if he continues to perform for Aston Villa. And what he’s got to be careful of is that he’s the number one guy at Villa now and being the main man is vitally important. He likes having that pressure on him to perform well.

“What he's found at Villa is that Unai Emery has improved him as a player – he respects that hugely. He knows that working under Emery is the right fit for him. He plays in a system that suits him, which gives him opportunities to score and create goals. The difference now as well is that he's likely to be playing Champions League football.

“If he goes somewhere else, he may not quite fit in, he might not settle and the new manager's philosophy could be a different style of football.

“The question is whether he wants medals and to try and win the Premier League. Would he go to Chelsea for that? Would he go to Arsenal, Manchester City or Liverpool? I'm not so sure he would. I could see him moving to Arsenal, but I don't see him going to City or Liverpool.”

Speaking to the Sports Gazette at the 2020 London Football Awards, the then-Brentford ace revealed: "That’s the dream, to play for Arsenal one day. But, you know, it’s a long shot." Time will tell if he gets to make the move.