Journalist David Ornstein has disclosed that Aston Villa were open to negotiating a deal with Arsenal for their striker, Ollie Watkins, towards the end of the winter transfer window.

Villa reportedly extended an invitation for Arsenal to discuss terms for the England international, but they were not swayed by Arsenal’s initial £40m bid.

Ornstein noted that Villa were looking for around £60m for Watkins, a price Arsenal deemed excessive considering his age of 29 and their assessment that he wasn’t worth that sum.

Arsenal, under Mikel Arteta, were looking to bolster their attack in January but ended up having a transfer window where they made no new acquisitions.

In a discussion on The Athletic FC podcast, Ornstein emphasized that Villa were at least prepared to engage in talks about Watkins.

However, the significant difference between what Villa valued Watkins at and what Arsenal were willing to pay for the player, described as “world-class” by the Up the Villans YouTube channel, meant no deal was struck.

“On Watkins, naturally these things are not easy when it gets to such a late point in the window. Clearly, Villa gave Arsenal the opportunity to do this deal or have a conversation on the basis of a £60 million possibility.

“That was something clearly Arsenal were not prepared to do at that value for a 29-year-old, who in their eyes is probably not worth that much.

“They decided to suggest around the £40m mark. Villa were being serious when they suggested £60 million because that’s where they value him and if they need to make the numbers work, with PSR and whatever else.

“That’s what they would have been prepared to have a conversation for. We don’t know if it would have led to an offer being accepted, but the door was clearly opened at that level and Arsenal weren’t prepared to go there.”

After Gabriel Jesus was sidelined for the remainder of the season due to ACL surgery, Arsenal aimed to sign a new striker in January.

However, the club did not make any additions to their forward line, which likely means Kai Havertz will feature in nearly every match until the season concludes.

The situation has been further complicated by an injury to Bukayo Saka, who is expected to be out until April after undergoing surgery for a hamstring problem, leaving Arsenal short-handed on the wings.

Currently, Arsenal sit in second place in the Premier League, trailing leaders Liverpool by six points, with Liverpool having an additional match to play.

Arsenal’s next challenge is the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Newcastle on Wednesday.

As we shift our focus to the summer transfer window, the club enters it without any new January acquisitions but with a financial boost from two sales totaling £30m.

This situation isn’t ideal, potentially leaving Eddie Howe under-resourced for the remainder of the season, especially since we missed out on signing a right-winger and saw squad depth diminish with the exits of Miguel Almiron and Lloyd Kelly.

However, there’s a silver lining: this financial strategy might give us the flexibility needed to significantly upgrade the squad in the summer. Mark Douglas from the i has outlined that Newcastle United will target a centre-back, right-winger, and striker, marking the summer as a pivotal time for squad rebuild after a challenging January.

The club has not significantly bolstered Eddie Howe’s starting lineup in recent transfer windows, but this is expected to change. The need is evident at:

Centre-back, where Fabian Schar, at 33, might need a long-term successor. Names like Illia Zarbanyi from Bournemouth, Marc Guehi, and Ousmane Diomande from Sporting Lisbon have been mentioned.

Right-wing, where despite Jacob Murphy’s progress, the departure of Almiron highlights a need for more depth. Potential targets include Tyler Dibling from Southampton, Johan Bakayoko of PSV, Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, and Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo.

Striker, with Callum Wilson’s contract winding down and his injury concerns, a new forward to challenge Alexander Isak is crucial. Jonathan David from Lille, who will be a free agent, is among the names being considered, though competition for his signature will be tough.

The coming months will be full of speculation about who might join the team, but these three positions are clearly where the club aims to strengthen.

Newcastle United handed £43m boost v Arsenal after EFL rules banned key duo

Newcastle United, leading 2-0 from the first leg, are set to face Arsenal in the second leg with hopes of securing a spot in their second Carabao Cup final in three seasons. However, the team has had to navigate through some suspension issues in this competition.

In the first leg against Arsenal, Newcastle were missing key players Bruno Guimaraes and Fabian Schar due to suspensions. Both players received bookings in the 3-1 quarter-final victory over Brentford, which, under Carabao Cup rules, led to a one-match ban as they had previously been cautioned in earlier rounds of the competition. Fortunately, these suspensions do not extend beyond the first leg of the semi-final, so Guimaraes and Schar are eligible to play in the upcoming match.

Sean Longstaff also faced a similar suspension scenario, missing the Brentford game. However, once the competition reaches the quarter-final stage, the yellow card suspension rules no longer apply, meaning no player will miss the second leg or a potential final due to accumulated bookings in this tournament unless they receive a red card.

Red card suspensions are different; they carry over across all competitions. For instance, earlier in the season, Fabian Schar was shown a straight red card in a Premier League match against Southampton, resulting in a three-match ban. This ban included missing not only two Premier League games but also a Carabao Cup match against Nottingham Forest.

These nuances in the competition’s rules could play a significant role in how Newcastle approaches this crucial match against Arsenal.

Tino Livramento, Joelinton & Anthony Gordon booked v Arsenal – are they at risk?

Tino Livramento, Anthony Gordon, and Joelinton all received yellow cards in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final last month, raising concerns about their eligibility for the second leg and a potential final. While Joelinton’s participation is uncertain due to injury, Livramento and Gordon are expected to play at St James’ Park. Importantly, any bookings they receive in the second leg won’t affect their availability for the final.

Even a straight red card in the second leg won’t lead to a suspension for the final; instead, it would mean missing upcoming matches in the FA Cup against Birmingham City and in the Premier League against Manchester City and Nottingham Forest. However, a red card in the Premier League or FA Cup within three games before the final would result in a player being suspended for the Carabao Cup final.

Newcastle’s experience from the 2023 Carabao Cup run provides some context. Bruno Guimaraes was sent off in the semi-final’s second leg against Southampton, leading to a three-match Premier League ban, but he was available for the final. In contrast, Nick Pope was suspended for the final after receiving a straight red card in a Premier League match against Liverpool.

The same disciplinary guidelines apply in the FA Cup, where a player booked twice before the semi-final is banned for one game, but red cards carry over across all competitions. Newcastle’s next match is against Birmingham City in the FA Cup fourth round, kicking off at 5:45pm on Saturday.

Despite their ambition to bolster the team, with offers on the table and a clear list of desired players, Arsenal concluded the January transfer window without signing anyone.

Mikel Arteta’s team remains deeply involved in the Premier League title race and is among the top contenders in the Champions League this season. However, they chose not to reinforce a squad that has shown signs of fatigue at times.

Arsenal’s quiet transfer window was not unique; both Chelsea and Liverpool also refrained from making significant signings, but this approach carries its risks.

The decision reflects various considerations, both on and off the pitch, which have developed not just in the last month but throughout Arteta’s tenure.

The club has long had its eyes on key targets like Benjamin Sesko and Alexander Isak, seen as answers to their need for a primary striker. However, both were out of reach this window. Newcastle is determined to keep Isak, and it would likely take a British record transfer fee to lure him away in the summer.

Sesko, on the other hand, had previously declined a move to the Premier League, preferring to evaluate his situation at RB Leipzig at the end of the season.

A last-minute interest in Ollie Watkins caught many by surprise, but differing valuations and Jhon Duran’s move to Saudi Arabia halted this potential transfer before it could gain momentum.

There were also late-stage negotiations for Nico Williams from Athletic Bilbao, but Arsenal decided to save their resources for the summer, anticipating tough competition for their top targets.

Emergence of Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri

Although a central striker was considered the primary need, injuries and a thin squad might have pushed Arsenal to look for emergency signings in January.

With Ben White out long-term and Riccardo Calafiori struggling with fitness, Arsenal were left short at full-back. Moreover, Bukayo Saka’s absence created a significant gap on the left wing.

However, instead of turning to the transfer market, Arsenal looked to their youth academy for solutions, and this approach has paid off handsomely.

Myles Lewis-Skelly has adapted effortlessly at left-back, even potentially overtaking Calafiori for the starting spot. Meanwhile, Nwaneri, once unleashed by Arteta, has thrived, showcasing his technical skills and goal-scoring ability from the left wing.

Fixture congestion easing

Arsenal’s injury woes have likely been exacerbated by the busy schedule over Christmas and New Year, which isn’t surprising.

However, their early exit from the FA Cup against Manchester United in the third round has provided a rare opportunity for a break to regroup.

Arteta’s team intends to make the most of this downtime, planning another warm-weather training camp in Dubai after their Carabao Cup semi-final second leg versus Newcastle on Wednesday.

With an automatic spot in the Champions League’s last 16, Arsenal might have felt that focusing on rehabilitating their injured players was a better strategy than scrambling for last-minute transfers.

Patient transfer approach

Arsenal’s cautious strategy in January reflects a broader club philosophy favoring long-term planning over immediate, risky moves.

Concerns about financial regulations and a preference for strategic patience were evident, much like last January when they avoided mid-season signings after the hefty summer investments in Kai Havertz and Declan Rice.

There was a chance to sign Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel on transfer deadline day, but Arsenal decided against it, feeling he wouldn’t significantly enhance their current lineup.

However, this doesn’t mean the club has been inactive. There are rumors that a deal for Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi is nearly finalized for the summer transfer window, potentially outmaneuvering Liverpool and Manchester City for the promising Spanish midfielder.

Additionally, Arsenal is actively working to secure Norwegian talent Sverre Nypan for the next season, despite competition from Manchester City.

Whether this conservative strategy will hinder their title aspirations again is yet to be determined, but Arsenal seems prepared to take that chance.