Duran joined Al-Nassr for around €70m, while Arsenal expressed serious interest in Watkins, with Unai Emery reportedly open to a sale if the right deal emerged.
Per The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Watkins was even “excited” about the idea of joining Arsenal, despite later stating he is happy at Villa.
While Duran was seen as a challenging presence in the dressing room, his age and goal-scoring potential made him a valuable asset.
Ornstein stated: “Villa gave Arsenal the opportunity to do this deal or have a conversation on the basis of a £60m possibility. That was something clearly Arsenal were not prepared to do at that value for a 29-year-old, who in their eyes is probably not worth that much.
“They decided to suggest around the £40M mark. Villa were being serious when they suggested £60m because that's where they value him. We don’t know if it would have led to an offer being accepted, but the door was clearly opened at that level and Arsenal weren’t prepared to go there.”