Mikel Arteta’s backup option, Mikel Merino, has been leading the line for the Gunners recently, highlighting Arsenal’s deficiencies in the center-forward position. The North Londoners rejected the opportunity to recruit a “unstoppable” forward in January, according to Jamie Carragher.
Arteta-led Arsenal has been at the top of the rankings for the third consecutive Premier League season, but many think they are just one goal away from breaking their 20-year title drought.
Since Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are absent due to injury, Merino, a lanky central midfielder by trade, has frequently been used in the lone spot up top. However, Arteta will be eager to get a new striker as quickly as possible.
In order to help them in their pursuit of trophies, Arsenal had the ideal chance to test the market throughout the winter. One of the premier scorers in the world of football, Alexander Isak of Newcastle United, is getting close to the top of their shopping list.
However, Carragher stated in the most recent episode of Overlap that Unai Emery at Aston Villa offered Arteta and his group the services of Ollie Watkins, but chose to trade Jhon Duran to Al-Nassr instead. He stated:
“I actually know that Aston Villa offered Ollie Watkins to Arsenal when we discussed Arsenal’s interest in him.” They made an inadequate financial offer. I don’t believe Arsenal called Villa and said, “We want to sign him.”
When his co-conspirator Gary Neville questioned Carragher about why Arsenal didn’t spend a fortune to recruit the English goal scorer, he responded, “Well, they didn’t offer enough money – whatever they offered, £50-60 million.”
However, this is what I knew. His agency is undoubtedly aware of it if I am. Villa needs to get something back because they have spent a lot of money. Since Jhon Duran is the younger player—he is only 21—you would ideally sell Ollie Watkins and keep him.
The 29-year-old, who was born in Torquay and has scored 86 goals in 218 games for his current employers, has previously been called “unstoppable” by Carragher. He has added 16 goals to his steadily increasing total this season alone, making him the dependable supply of goals Arsenal could have used.
Watkins, who joined the Birmingham team from Brentford in the summer of 2020, recently criticised Emery for not playing during their two-leg Champions League quarterfinal matchup with Paris Saint-Germain.
“In both games, I played 20 minutes against PSG. To be honest, I was furious that I wasn’t playing, and I told Unai Emery about it. I’m not one of these guys who enjoys sitting on the bench, but you have to respect his decision as the manager.
The 18-cap England player went on, “Missing out on the biggest stage is something I have never experienced before.” “I wanted to spend a lot more time on the pitch. I want to participate in those games because I have contributed significantly to our current situation.
xz
