According to Metro, Ollie Watkins has shared details of a private conversation he had with Declan Rice, shedding light on their discussion about Aston Villa's potential success in the Europa Conference League.
The conversation comes amidst speculation linking Watkins with a move to Arsenal.
With Arsenal reportedly in search of a new forward, Watkins has emerged as a candidate after an impressive season with Aston Villa, boasting 19 goals and 12 assists in the Premier League.
Former Arsenal player Theo Walcott recently endorsed Watkins as a potential signing for the club, likening him to Thierry Henry.
Mikael Silvestre also expressed his preference for Watkins over Brentford's Ivan Toney as a transfer target for Arsenal.
Watkins, who received praise from Arsenal legend Thierry Henry in March, now reveals a conversation he had with Declan Rice during their time together with the England national team.
While their discussion did not revolve around Watkins potentially joining Arsenal, the focus was on Villa's prospects in the Europa Conference League.
Reflecting on their conversation, Watkins shared, "I spoke to Dec (Declan Rice) at England... confident that we’re going to win it."
Expressing his admiration for Henry, Watkins revealed, "My idol was Thierry Henry...
I always felt when he cut inside from the left and bending it in, that was always…
I scored one against Luton!" He went on to acknowledge Henry's influence, describing him as "the best player to play in the Premier League" and expressing his aspiration to emulate Henry's style of play.