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.

Ollie Watkins is ‘open’ to joining Arsenal before the transfer deadline if Aston Villa back down and agree a deal with the Gunners. The future of England striker Watkins looks set to be one of the biggest talking points in the final few days of the transfer window after he was the subject of a big-money offer from Arsenal.

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 ...

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.

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 rejected an approach from Arsenal for Ollie Watkins ahead of a dramatic end to the January transfer window