Ollie Watkins Aston Villa exit to Arsenal: ‘Emery apoplectic at Arteta’
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery will be “apoplectic” with his Arsenal counterpart Mikel Arteta over the Gunners’ bid for Ollie Watkins, Martin O’Neill has said.
On Wednesday (29 January) reports emerged that the north London club have seen a £60million bid rejected by Villa for the signing of Watkins (Daily Mail).
New of that bid broke just hours before Emery’s side took on Celtic in the final game of the Champions League group stages, while still needing a result to secure an automatic place in the last 16.
O’Neill now believes the Aston Villa manager will be furious at that bid coming in so late in the transfer window from Arsenal, regardless of the scheduling of that match.
Speaking on TNT Sports‘ coverage of that game between Villa and the Scottish champions, he was asked if what Emery would make of a bid going in on the day of the game.
Responding to that question, the former Aston Villa and Celtic manager said (29 January, 7:15pm): “Never mind the matchday, you think about just how close it is to transfer deadline day, and you’ve got an offer in for your top striker.
“I would be apoplectic I must admit at this particular stage and I feel as if Aston Villa if they want to progress, they must try to keep him here at the football club.
“I know it’s a big offer, or supposedly a big offer at 60, it might even go further but (in the) January transfer window, I wouldn’t be having it.”
Stylian Petrov though, is of the opinion that Villa do not need to sell either Watkins to Arsenal or fellow striker Jhon Duran, who is being linked with a move to Saudi Arabia.
The former Aston Villa and Celtic midfielder added: “I mean they don’t have to sell. In the modern football you expect big clubs to come in and put bids in, you don’t have to sell.
“If you want to build something special, if you want to be consistent in Europe, you have to keep the players that make the difference.
“Ollie Watkins, Jhon Duran, they’ve got the ability. Ollie Watkins has proven he can score goals he can be the big player, so you don’t have to sell.
“You don’t have to go and take the offers, it’s bad it’s come in on game day, a big game day and it’s really frustrating.”
Unai Emery fury at Arsenal bid for Ollie Watkins understandable
Football Insider Verdict
You couldn’t blame Emery if he was to be unhappy with the timing of this bid that the Gunners have made for Watkins.
With Arsenal leaving it to the moment that they did to make this offer, it has created something of a distraction around such a huge game for Aston Villa.
Beyond that, it would leave Emery and co. with very little time to replace such a key man if he does make a move to the Emirates.
Indeed, with suggestions that one target, Chelsea’s Joao Felix, would have to be convinced over a move to Villa Park, that would certainly not be an easy job.
From an Arsenal perspective as well, there must be questions about why they have left it so late to make a move such as this, given it has been clear all month there was a need for attacking reinforcements.
If Villa are able to stand firm and the Gunners run out of time to source an alternative, waiting until now could cost Arteta and his side, potentially giving Emery the last laugh still.
The transfer developments didn’t seem to have too much of a negative effect early since Morgan Rogers scored twice in the space of the opening five minutes.
However, Adam Idah pulled one back for Celtic before the break and completed his own three-minute double just moments later to drag the visitors level.
In other news. Arsenal are concerned that a transfer target could end up playing for Man City.
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