Ollie Watkins is ‘open’ to joining Arsenal before the transfer deadline if Aston Villa back down and agree a deal with the Gunners. The future of England striker Watkins looks set to be one of the biggest talking points in the final few days of the transfer window after he was the subject of a big-money offer from Arsenal.

Aston Villa were ‘furious’ with the Arsenal approach, and it was a bit of a d*ck move. Not because they’ve made a bid for Watkins, who didn’t magically turn up at Villa after all, but because making the bid so close to arguably Villa’s biggest game of the season is hardly going to ease negotiations.