A 39-year-old man was shot in the leg during an attempted robbery in the heart of Times Square early Tuesday, cops said.

Three teenagers approached him and demanded his watch at gunpoint near cinemas and other attractions on West 42nd Street near the corner with Seventhth Ave just after 4 a.m., according to police.

The victim took a bullet to the leg and three suspects were busted soon after in connection to shooting, law enforcement sources said. The victim was able to hold onto his watch, according to cops.

At least one young man was spotted being cuffed and hauled away from the scene, photos taken by The Post show.

Cops uncovered eight shell casings from the street, the sources said.

It wasn’t immediately clear if there was any confrontation prior to the shooting, or if the victim knew the alleged gunmen.

The victim was taken to Bellevue hospital in a stable condition, said police, who did not have information on arrests.