Aston Villa have rejected an approach from Arsenal for England striker Ollie Watkins.

Sources confirmed to BBC Sport the Gunners made their enquiry for the 29-year-old on Monday.

Watkins started in Villa’s Champions League game against Celtic on Wednesday night at Villa Park, with reports of a £60m Arsenal bid first surfacing hours before kick-off.

Villa sources say they have no intention of allowing Watkins to leave, especially with continued speculation linking fellow striker Jhon Duran with a move to Saudi Arabia.

Sources also told BBC Sport that Villa are unhappy with the timing of the approach, which came in the build-up to a key Champions League fixture and a week before January’s transfer deadline day.

It is not clear if Arsenal will return with further offers before Monday’s 23:00 GMT deadline.

Watkins has 10 goals in 31 games this season, although is yet to score in the Champions League, and struck the equaliser in Villa’s 2-2 draw at Emirates Stadium earlier this month.

The England international has 80 goals in 200 appearances for the Midlands club since joining from Brentford for £28m in 2020.

The Gunners are looking for a new striker before the January transfer window closes, with Gabriel Jesus out with a serious knee injury he suffered in the FA Cup defeat by Manchester United this month.