Mikel Arteta a fan of Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, but Arsenal have concerns over paying more than £40m due to his age | OneFootball

Arsenal remain interested in signing Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins this summer, according to The Athletic.

However, the Gunners are concerned about paying more than £40 million for a player who turns 30 in December.

Arsenal have a couple of striking targets on their radar, including Newcastle United hitman Alexander Isak, who is Mikel Arteta’s preferred candidate for the centre-forward role.

Signing the Sweden international will cost around £150m, and he is expected to stay with the Magpies if they qualify for the Champions League.

RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres are on their radar, but neither boasts Watkins’s Premier League experience.

The 29-year-old has bagged 75 goals in the English top-flight in 182 games.

He has tallied 16 goals and seven assists in 36 league games this term after ending last term with 19 goals and 15 assists in 37 league matches, and he could be a perfect option for Arsenal.

Watkins is a boyhood fan of the Gunners and is believed to be open to a move, but whether they are willing to pay over £40m for his services remains to be seen.

Around £60-70m could get them Gyokeres, while Sesko could be available for slightly more, but going after a proven Premier League goalscorer in Watkins could make more sense.

He has around three or four more years left to perform optimally at this level, but going after such a short-term solution could help them land the Premier League title and Champions League.