Amazing Watkins alternative: Arsenal plot weekend bid for £54m striker

Coming into the January transfer window, Arsenal had one clear goal; to sign a new forward.

Bukayo Saka's hamstring injury at the back end of 2024 made it likely that a new wide player might be signed but Mikel Arteta's woes were compounded when Gabriel Jesus was dealt the cruel blow of a lengthy ACL injury.

Still, here we are on the 2nd January, nearly 24 hours out from the end of the winter transfer window and the Gunners are yet to conclude any business.

Whether or not we'll see a Mesut Ozil or Pierre-Emerick Aubayemang-type move late in the window remains to be seen but it's becoming more and more unlikely that Arteta is able to add anyone to his squad.

They have at least tried, with Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins of interest...

Arsenal searching for Ollie Watkins alternatives

Last week the surprise news broke that the Gunners were aiming to bring Watkins to the Emirates Stadium before Monday's deadline.

Alas, their pursuit is likely to fall flat. A £40m bid was lodged but with fellow Villans striker Jhon Duran packing his bags and heading to Al-Nassr in Saudi, it's extremely unlikely they will allow another talisman in Watkins to leave.

Unai Emery and Co are set to welcome the likes of Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio to Villa Park before the window slams shut at 11pm on Monday but even then, the idea of signing Watkins is difficult to imagine.

So, what could Arsenal do instead? Well, according to TEAMtalk, they are considering this weekend whether to send a bid to Juventus to sign Dusan Vlahovic.

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The Serbian powerhouse has been on the club's radar even before he signed for Juve in January 2022 and he could finally become an Arsenal player this month.

The report states that Vlahovic is one of their top targets and while no offer has been sent yet, they were weighing up the prospect.

Should the Serie A side sign a new striker then it's thought they could be willing to let him leave for around £54m or lower.

How Dusan Vlahovic compares to Ollie Watkins

Well, the last time Arsenal decided to raid Juventus for a big-money forward, it's safe to say it went pretty well.

Does the name Thierry Henry ring a bell, anyone? We jest, of course, but Henry made the same move from Turin to London for £11m back in August 1999 and the rest is history.

The great Frenchman is the club's all-time record goalscorer with 228 goals. Now, there is zero chance of Vlahovic living up to that almighty record but this late in the window, he would be a great alternative to Watkins.

The Villa striker would bring the added bonus of having played in England's top flight before but spending £60m (the asking price) on a 29-year-old may not be the best from a business point of view.

Watkins would likely hit the ground running quickly but there's no re-sale value and in the next couple of years his qualities could diminish. Vlahovic, on the other hand, is 25 and approaching his prime, therefore likely guaranteeing you a longer degree of service.

However, this is all ifs, buts and maybes. How do the pair compare statistically? We've had a look at their numbers throughout the last couple of seasons.

Ollie Watkins vs Dusan Vlahovic since Stats (* = per 90 mins) Watkins Vlahovic Goals 44 33 Assists 24 7 Goals per 90 0.50 0.53 Shots on target * 1.31 1.13 Expected goals (xG) 44.8 36.2 Pass success % 73% 70% Key passes * 1.07 0.95 Progressive passes * 1.22 1.60 Successful take-ons * 0.56 0.58 Progressive carries * 1.62 1.16 Carries * 14.9 16.4 % of aerial duels won * 41% 41% Stats via FBRef.

So, by looking at the data above, it's clear to see why Watkins is being pursued so strongly by Arsenal. At 29, he's the finished article and his data shows as much. Not only does he score goals but he's creative too, notably winning the Premier League's 'Playmaker' award for the most assists in the division during 2023/24.

Comparatively, Vlahovic isn't yet the finished article but he does rank closely in a number of areas, notably the percentage of aerials won, successful take-ons and pass success rate. Despite Watkins' creativity, it's actually the Serb who's more progressive with his passing too.

That indicates with a bit of coaching, Arteta could craft the Juve forward into a creative hub for his team too.

Perhaps most impressively, though, is that per 90 minutes, Vlahovic is actually the more prolific.

So, signing the "monster" striker - as he was described by the Italian media - could well be a fine alternative should Villa shut up shop and refuse to entertain any offers for their star striker.

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