Premier League star unwilling to leave current club despite interest from Arsenal and Tottenham: Reports
Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins has reportedly rejected interest from Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.
Watkins, 27, has emerged as one of the most in-form stars in the Premier League since the turn of the year. He has helped the Villans climb up to sixth spot in the standings with 14 goals and six assists in 31 games this season.
A right-footed mobile striker renowned for his shooting and stamina, the seven-cap England international has attracted transfer interest from Premier League outfits of late. As a result, Villa are keen to tie him down on a new deal.
#AVFC 
Ollie Watkins has been directly involved in 16 goals in 17 PL games under Unai Emery ✨ #AVFC
"He’s very professional and he likes to work every day more than the team is doing", Unai told @MenInBlazers after he confirmed that "we want to keep him". https://t.co/EM8BWqBqY5
According to TEAMtalk, Watkins has rebuffed advances from Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United to agree a contract extension at the Villa Park. He had been considering his future at his club at one point, but is keen to continue under Unai Emery to achieve all his goals, including becoming an England regular.
Watkins, whose current deal is set to expire in June 2025, has agreed the terms of the new contract at his current club. Aston Villa are expected to announce the extension after the formalities are finalized in the near future.
Since arriving from Brentford for a club-record fee of £28 million in 2020, Watkins has scored 42 goals in 110 appearances across all competitions for the Villans. He has also laid out a decent number of assists, 13, for his club.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are currently in the market for a top forward to better prepare themselves for UEFA Champions League participation next season. Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah are their only striking options right now.
Tottenham Hotspur, on the other hand, are on the lookout for a first-choice striker in light of Harry Kane's potential departure this summer. Manchester United and Bayern Munich are keen to lure Kane away from Spurs.
Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun set to push for summer move: Reports
According to Football Insider, Folarin Balogun has told Arsenal that he will seek a permanent move away unless given a guarantee of first-team action next season. The Gunners have clarified that they are prepared to offer the on-loan Reims star an improved deal if he decides to remain and fight for his spot at the club.
RB Leipzig, Marseille, Lyon, Villarreal, and Sevilla have all expressed an interest in signing Balogun this summer. Brentford, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Everton and Crystal Palace are also monitoring the striker's availability.
Balogun, 21, has emerged as one of the most promising attackers in Europe since joining Reims from Arsenal on a season-long loan deal last summer. He has been in fine form, scoring 19 goals in 32 matches in the process.