‘Makes sense’… Darren Bent claims Aston Villa star would go straight into Arsenal’s starting XI if he joins

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Ollie Watkins to Arsenal is just one suggestion which won’t go away.

Watkins has made it well-known over the years that he was a boyhood Arsenal supporter.

Watkins admitted to Pro Direct Soccer in 2022 that he was a ‘big Arsenal fan’ growing up despite hailing from Torquay – some 200 miles away from Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium home.

The Villa forward also admitted, during his Brentford days, that he was dreaming of playing for Arsenal at some point in his career.

Watkins felt that it was a ‘long shot’ back then but reports in October suggested that Arsenal were looking into a move.

We can’t imagine that Villa would entertain letting Watkins leave but Darren Bent thinks the move would make sense…

Darren Bent backs Ollie Watkins for Arsenal

Former Villa hitman Bent – an Arsenal man himself – has told talkSPORT that he thinks Watkins would walk into the Arsenal side.

Bent believes that Watkins would start with Gabriel Jesus potentially moving out wide, but also believes that Eddie Nketiah will be moving on.

Nketiah is struggling for playing time at Arsenal and Bent wants to see him go and play regularly elsewhere.

That would pave the way for another striker to arrive at Arsenal and, whilst Bent thinks Watkins will stay put, he thinks a move to Arsenal adds up.

“Yeah, makes sense. He’s having a great season, a great, great season. I can’t see him leaving Villa but yeah probably, I’d say so, yeah,” said Bent when asked if Watkins would start for Arsenal.

“[Jesus] can play on the left but I think Eddie will go. I think Eddie needs to go and play football now,” he added.

Watkins only signed a new contract back in October, tying himself to the club until the summer of 2028.

That means Arsenal would need to come up with a huge offer to lure Watkins away and we aren’t sure that would happen.

Watkins is already 28 and Arsenal may be reluctant to spend big on a player approaching their 30’s, based on Edu’s approach to transfers in recent years.

We can’t see this one happening this summer, even if we do expect Arsenal to be looking to splash out on a new striker.