Unai Emery accused of pressuring Ollie Watkins over Arsenal transfer

Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa celebrates his goal to make it 3-2 during the UEFA Champions League Matchday 8 of 8 Aston Villa vs Celtic at Villa Park, Birmingham, United Kingdom, 29th January 2025

Ollie Watkins’ potential move to Arsenal seems increasingly unlikely.

Former Arsenal player Kieran Gibbs has praised Unai Emery for his handling of the fallout from the collapse of Ollie Watkins’ proposed transfer to the Gunners.

Villa rejected a £60million bid from Arsenal for the England striker earlier this week.

Watkins, an Arsenal supporter, has often expressed his allegiance to the club, but Emery insists he will stay at Villa, who are now short of a striker following Jhon Duran’s move to the Saudi Pro League on Friday.

“Yes, he is happy to stay,” the Spaniard confirmed. “You can ask him, but we check in on how he feels every day, every year he’s been here with Aston Villa, both with and without us.

“We speak with him regularly, and he is fully focused on the message we share. Ollie’s commitment to us is immense; he deeply values how Aston Villa has supported him since we signed him two years ago, always striving to bring out his best.

“We need him now, just as he needed us. We often have conversations, and he’s always adapting to our squad’s needs and his own.

“When teams express interest in our players, it’s good for us and the players. Some players want to leave, but others are happy to stay and commit to our challenges. Ollie Watkins is one of those.”

Gibbs, who once played alongside current Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, admitted it was disappointing to see his former club miss out on a key target but expressed admiration for how Emery had managed the situation.

“It’s a bit frustrating they didn’t pursue this sooner, especially with Jhon Duran leaving,” Gibbs told ESPN FC. “I also like how Emery’s somewhat guilt-tripped Ollie Watkins, knowing Arsenal is his dream move, something we’ve known for years.”

Should Arsenal fail to sign a striker before the Monday 11.00 pm deadline, the goal-scoring responsibility will increase for Kai Havertz, who has played almost every minute in the last two months.

Ethan Nwaneri, who now has six goals across all competitions this season, has returned to action, and Gibbs believes Arsenal is well-covered in the wide areas, despite Bukayo Saka’s continued absence.

“They should’ve handled this earlier in the window,” Gibbs said. “Honestly, if Nwaneri had been out longer and been more aggressive, the supply to the front line would’ve dropped. Now that he’s back, while not a direct replacement for Saka, he has enough quality to create chances for Havertz and Martinelli to score.”

“Still, I think Arsenal should’ve been more proactive this window. That said, Nwaneri’s performance has surprised me—he has the ability and composure to help Arsenal achieve something this season.”