Hours before their Champions League matchup with Girona, Arsenal made news with a last-minute bid for Ollie Watkins. But Aston Villa quickly turned down the offer. The Gunners are in a difficult position because they made this late transfer window move in January, and it is unlikely that they will be successful in acquiring a player of Watkins’ level with so little time left.
Villa is naturally hesitant to deal with a second striker after selling Jhon Duran. An essential member of their team, Watkins continues to be a vital member of the Villans’ squad as they look to end their campaign on a high note. Even though Arsenal is interested, Villa seems set on keeping Watkins, so a transfer before the window closes is unlikely.
Arsenal has been seeking other players in addition to Watkins. Sverre Nypan, a gifted 18-year-old midfielder for Rosenborg, has also been linked to the Gunners. According to reports, Arsenal is considering bringing Nypan on board and has been in discussions with his reps. Nypan has been on Arsenal’s radar for a while and has already attracted the interest of numerous elite European clubs.
A Daily Mail story, however, indicates that a deal for Nypan is unlikely to happen in January. According to the source, it is anticipated that the youth would stay at Rosenborg until the conclusion of the season, which is a sensible choice for both his growth and Rosenborg’s own goals.
The young Norwegian talent has a lot of promise and will most likely eventually join one of the top clubs in Europe. However, it doesn’t seem like the right time to make such a move, especially to a team like Arsenal, where he would find it difficult to get consistent playing time in the second half of the season.
Despite the fact that Watkins and Nypan would both improve Arsenal in different ways, it appears that neither will join the Gunners this month given the timing and circumstances of their chases. To keep up their momentum in both local and European competitions, Arsenal will need to look into new options or collaborate with their present team.