Aston Villa are preparing to offer striker Ollie Watkins a new contract to fend off interest from Arsenal, according to Football Insider.
The Lowdown: New deals
Steven Gerard appears to be making preparations ahead of his first full season in charge at Villa Park, with a number of key men penning fresh terms in the Midlands.
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Emiliano Martinez, Matty Cash and Kortney Hause have all signed new contracts at Villa in 2022, with reports recently suggesting Gerrard could move on eight players this summer.
It looks as if Watkins could follow Martinez, Cash and Hause in extending his Villa Park stay after missing just one game since Gerrard took over in November.
The Latest: Source shares update
Football Insider shared an update regarding Watkins on Tuesday morning after being informed by a recruitment source.
They claimed that Arsenal are interested in the England international, and, as a result, Villa are preparing a new bumper deal which would see Watkins become one of the club’s top earners.
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The Verdict: Shrewd move?
Watkins has been the club’s best-performing attacker this season, as per WhoScored, and is the top scorer with eight goals.
He is also Villa’s joint-highest valued player according to Transfermarkt at £31.5m, so a new contract appears to be a smart call from Villa chiefs.
Gerrard hailed Watkins back in December, describing him as a player who has ‘got the lot’, so he could be key under the Villa boss next season, providing he remains at the club beyond the summer.
In other news: Source: Villa now open to selling 2022 star this summer despite Gerrard being a big fan.
