Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson has called on his old club to sign Aston Villa and England striker Ollie Watkins this month.
The 26-year-old, who is valued at £31.5million, has been loosely linked with a move to the Gunners in recent months as he continues to impress in the top-flight for Villa.
It's not been dazzling for Watkins this season so far, in terms of goals, with five to his name, but his overall contribution carries on catching the eye of many around the country.
It's no secret Arsenal are looking at bringing a new centre-forward to the club this month, with Fiorentina's Dusan Vlahovic of interest to Mikel Arteta.
football.london understands that Arsenal are open to offers for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who was stripped of the captaincy at the Emirates Stadium recently. Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah, who both see their contracts expire at the end of the season, look to have no future in north London either.
Merson, when speaking to Sky Sports, called for his old club to take a punt on Watkins, when talking about the brilliance of Philippe Coutinho, who scored on his Aston Villa debut against Manchester United at the weekend.
He said: "Aston Villa are crying out for a superstar. They have got one (Coutinho). You don’t lose talent. You can’t teach that. That’s not taught.
“This lad carried Liverpool, at times. It’s the way Steven Gerrard plays him, let teams worry about him, rather him having to track back some average player back to his own box.
“But, if I was Arsenal now, I would go and steam in to try and get Watkins. If I was Arsenal.”
How could Arsenal line up with Watkins?
So, if Merson does get his wish, how would Arsenal line up?
On plenty of occasions this season, Arteta has used the 4-2-3-1 formation, with the three behind the striker quite often Emile Smith Rowe, Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka. However, Smith Rowe has also spent some time on the bench with Gabriel Martinelli on the left-hand side instead.
Smith Rowe can of course come into the middle instead of Odegaard, with Martinelli on the left, or, alternatively, the latter of the three can play on the left wing.
The English core of Watkins, Saka and Smith Rowe could be an exciting prospect for Arsenal supporters.
What has Watkins said about Arsenal?
Watkins has previously fuelled rumours of a possible move to Arsenal, with the former Brentford forward admitting in 2020 that he "dreams" of playing for the Gunners one day.
"That’s the dream, to play for Arsenal one day. But, you know, it’s a long shot,” the England international said during the 2020 London Football Awards.
"I'm an Arsenal fan so Thierry Henry was my [idol], he's unbelievable to watch. He was the idol growing up really."
