EPL: How Al Nassr's Boniface Snub Saved Arsenal from Signing Watkins in January

Arsenal's hope of finally signing the Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins this coming January transfer window was partly shattered following the refusal of Saudi outfit Al Nassr to sign the Bayer Leverkusen striker, Victor Boniface.

The Gunners made no moves into the winter window, sticking to their current roster despite key forward injuries to Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus. Mikel Arteta remained keen to fortify his options up front, but Watkins's negotiations did, in the end, break down.

Why Arsenal Missed Out on Watkins

Reports coming from The Athletic had suggested that Arsenal made an initial approach to Aston Villa for Watkins, with discussions progressing after the teams met in the Premier League on 18 January.

Aston Villa were willing to let go of either Watkins or Jhon Duran, with manager Unai Emery finding it tough to fit both strikers into his starting XI. Also, the club wanted to ease their Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) worries by selling one of the two forwards.

Villa were in discussion with Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr over the transfer of Duran, but had Al Nassr moved to sign Boniface, then Arsenal would have stood a better chance with Watkins for around £60 million.

Arsenal's Bid Rejected

Being a lifelong Arsenal fan, Watkins was thrilled with the possibility of joining the North Londoners. On January 27, an opening £40 million bid for Watkins came via the Gunners, who swiftly saw the overtures rejected by Aston Villa.

Arsenal wanted to go big with a bid. However, once Al Nassr signed up Duran after cooling off their interest in signing Boniface, Villa decided against letting Watkins' go, dashing Arsenal's hopes in an instant.

How Will Arsenal Find Their Main Goal-Getter

Without Watkins available, Mikel Arteta now has a bit of a headache through the rest of the season. Kai Havertz is his only natural option up front, and Leandro Trossard can operate as a false nine. Still, though, with Saka still on his way back after his injury, moving Trossard centrally would seriously blunt Arsenal's attacking power out wide.

This missed opportunity leaves Arsenal vulnerable in their quest for the Premier League title, with the importance of strategic planning ahead of the summer transfer window now more apparent than ever.

Key Takeaways:

Arsenal's pursuit of Ollie Watkins was hindered by Al Nassr's decision to sign Jhon Duran instead of Victor Boniface.

Aston Villa were willing to sell Watkins for £60 million, but Arsenal's £40 million bid was rejected.

Arsenal target Watkins was eager to join his boyhood club, but Villa decided against the transfer.

For Arsenal, Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka remain out, which continues to make attack an area of concern for Arteta.

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