Arsenal have performed to an extremely high standard this season, which has secured them a spot in the Champions League knockouts and seen them lead the way in the Premier League.
The Gunners have only lost two of their 17 Premier League games, with both occasions ending in a 1-0 away defeat.
With that in mind, Mikel Arteta wants to improve his squad and strengthen the centre-forward position in January.
Arsenal transfers latest – Ollie Watkins
According to the Daily Mail earlier this week, Arsenal have noted Ollie Watkins as a potential target, with Edu and Co having been monitoring the Aston Villa forward.
For Villa to let go of their star man, it would reportedly cost at least £75m, as per another outlet, but it would take a lot to tempt Watkins away from his current club.
However, due to limited funds and financial fair play guidelines, it is believed that the Gunners may focus on other positions in January.
How Ollie Watkins compares to Victor Osimhen
Victor Osimhen has been linked with a move to Arsenal for some time now, but the Nigerian has a release clause of £112m – as per the Daily Mail – which is clearly extremely expensive. Therefore, Edu may turn his head towards a Premier League-proven forward who has been described as “unstoppable” by Jamie Carragher.
Watkins is a true centre forward who thrives inside the opponent’s box, using elite movement and goal-scoring instincts to find space away from the opposition defenders. He is also a composed finisher who can comfortably score with both feet and his head.
That brief profile breakdown sounds very similar to the 24-year-old forward, with FBref duly noting that the pair are 'similar players'. But how do they compare based on statistics from their respective leagues this season?
Goals
0.55
0.70
Assists
0.36
0.20
Shots total
3.03
3.87
Touches (Att pen)
6.42
8.25
Completed passes
11.99
7.15
Touches
26.7
25.5
Take-ons attempted
1.76
1.78
Carries
16.2
15
Progressive carries
1.64
1.68
Based on the above, it is clear that both players are number nines who like to stay on the fringe of the game and not get involved in buildup, like Harry Kane, for example. The most you would find is a lay-off out wide and a dart into the box.
The chances are that if a good ball is put into the box, the duo will get on the end of it and most likely score according to their high goals per ninety-minute statistic. Indeed, so far this season, Watkins has 14 goals in all competitions and Osimhen has registered eight strikes.
That said, there is more to their play than just finding the net. They are both intelligent and despite wanting to score for themselves, their awareness allows them to set up teammates who may be in a better shooting position.
Furthermore, Watkins and Osimhen are both fast and mobile, continuously running the channels and stretching the play. The Villa man is particularly effective at this, drifting over to the left and finding himself in 1v1 scenarios frequently.
#1 Dominic Solanke
#2 Terem Moffi (Nice)
#3 Victor Osimhen (Napoli)
#4 Erling Haaland (Man City)
#5 Habib Diallo (Al Shabab)
Data via FBRef.
As you can see, Watkins could serve as a cheaper alternative to the Nigerian while still providing similar traits and qualities. Furthermore, the ex-Brentford forward is reliable and doesn’t have unfortunate continuous injury issues like the Napoli star.
Opting for the Villa forward who is in the form of his life looks like a very smart decision, with the remaining funds being used to strengthen elsewhere.
