Ollie Watkins' Aston Villa team-mate admits he also loved Arsenal growing up

Arsenal supporters have reacted with excitement after learning that Aston Villa star Jacob Ramsey was a boyhood fan of the club. are in the upcoming and Ramsey’s love for the club could put him on the wishlist alongside .

is desperate to bring in some new attackers after their title push was undermined by a lack of firepower. Injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus left without a recognised No.9, with Mikel Merino forced to fill in.

for the club following the arrival of Andrea Berta as the new sporting director. RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyökeres, ’s Alexander Isak and Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams are all targets, but the Gunners previously saw for Watkins in January.

The links with Watkins are unlikely to fade due to his self-confessed love of Arsenal – and fans have now cottoned onto the fact that Ramsey also has a weak spot for the team. Speaking to for their ‘Best Friend Test’ feature with Villa team-mate Morgan Rogers, Ramsey revealed his allegiances.

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Asked to name his idol growing up, Ramsey said: “Thierry Henry. I loved Arsenal growing up and he was like the main man, wasn't he?” And sharing the clip on , one Arsenal fan wrote: “Ramsey is one of us!! Bring him to the Emirates.”

“Ollie loves us too. Shame they are our bogey team,” another fan wrote. Another replied: “More reason to steal their players”. A third noted: “[We’re] never gonna run out of the Henry juice”.

Ramsey has contributed four goals and five assists in 40 appearances for Villa this season. While, like many, he idolised Henry growing up, he is Villa through and through, having grown up in Birmingham and joined the club’s academy aged six.

By contrast, , with all his family supporters of the club. "I’m not sure my grandad or uncle Baz are going to be too happy,” Watkins told Sky Sports after scoring in a 3-0 win for Villa at Arsenal in 2020. "They are Arsenal fans and I am an Arsenal fan myself – but I’m buzzing. I am sure they will love it really. I am over the moon."

Watkins was born in Torquay and started his football career with Exeter before breaking through at Brentford. It was while playing for the Bees that he revealed a desire to play for Arsenal in the future. “That’s the dream, to play for Arsenal one day. But, you know, it’s a long shot,” he said to the Sports Gazette at the 2020 London Awards.

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