“The Gunners' Plan C": Lifelong supporter Ollie Watkins appears on Arsenal's radar once again

Arsenal have listed Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins as a Plan C in their striker pursuit. (Image credits - FMT, License Details) 

Arsenal's pursuit for a new striker has taken a different turn as they have shifted their focus towards Aston Villa's star striker Ollie Watkins, and their interest in the English striker is definitely not new.

The Gunners' previous attempt to sign Watkins saw them launch a £60m bid in January, which was firmly rejected by Aston Villa due to the timing of the bid.

The North London giants are actively pursuing a move for either Viktor Gyökeres or Benjamin Šeško, as the club prepares for huge changes in the ongoing transfer window.

However, Arsenal's striker charge might be taking a different turn as they have registered Watkins as a “Plan-C” in case the club fails to sign either of their primary targets, as reported by The Mirror UK.

Signing Ollie Watkins wouldn't be a problem for Arsenal, as the 29-year-old has always been an admirer and a lifelong supporter of the club, even publicly admitting his admiration of the Gunners. 

Back in 2020, while playing for Brentford, Watkins expressed his desire to play for Arsenal by stating, "That's the dream, to play for Arsenal!” (sic)

With the season ending, Aston Villa could now be open to considering bids for Watkins, which can also make things easier for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta to pursue a move for him; however, the 29-year-old remains a backup plan for them at the moment.

Arsenal currently lead the race to land Gyökeres despite Manchester United's interest

Viktor Gyökeres' future still remains uncertain as he continues his search for a new club, having reportedly decided to leave Sporting CP this summer. As per the latest reports, Arsenal are currently the favourites to sign the Swedish goal machine despite interest from Manchester United.

While the prospect of reuniting with his former boss Ruben Amorim would surely excite Gyökeres, it is reported by The Athletic that the Swedish no. 9 still prefers a move to Arsenal, as he dreams of playing in the Champions League, which gives the Gunners a huge edge over the Red Devils.

However, Mikel Arteta's “dream striker” could potentially remain only a dream, as Gyökeres' massive wage demands have cooled down Arsenal's pursuit at the moment as they consider their options.

Benjamin Sesko also remains a top target for Arsenal, who could potentially be a better option for them due to his lower wage demands and lesser transfer fee in comparison to Gyökeres.