Manchester United have reportedly stepped up their interest in Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins amid Rúben Amorim’s need for a new striker.
Manchester United are set to overhaul their attacking options this summer after a disappointing 2024/25 season that saw them finish 15th in the Premier League, with a lack of goals playing a key role in their struggles.
Bruno Fernandes led the scoring with 19 goals, while Alejandro Garnacho and Amad both netted 11. Rasmus Højlund added 10, but no other player reached double figures in any competition.
United have already secured the £62.5 million signing of Matheus Cunha and are in talks to bring in Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo.
While the club remain confident of completing a deal, Tottenham are reportedly keeping a close eye on the situation and could step in if United fail to reach an agreement with the Bees for the Cameroon international.
The hunt for a central striker also continues. Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyökeres had been a leading target, but with the Swedish forward now leaning towards a move to Arsenal, United are turning their attention to alternative options in the market.
Villa’s asking price for Watkins explained
After Gyökeres’ clarification that the player is prioritising a move to Arsenal, United have taken a rather observational approach to the striker market, enquiring about the conditions of players such as Hugo Ekitike, but not committing to any deal.
According to Spanish reports, another player the club have been eyeing and have stepped up their interest in is Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, who ticks many of Amorim’s boxes, with former United player Wes Brown labelling Watkins as a “perfect” signing.
The 29-year-old is a proven Premier League goalscorer with extensive experience in the English game, having scored 17 goals last season. Furthermore, the England international has demonstrated himself to be a fantastic team player, also notching 14 assists in the previous campaign.
However, a major stumbling block that could come in the next few months is the player’s transfer fee. According to the Evening Standard, Villa have placed a £60 million price tag on the striker, which may be too far out of United’s reach.
United should look to invest these funds in a midfielder
While signing a striker is a top priority for United, securing Mbeumo alongside the addition of Cunha would ease the goalscoring burden on the centre-forward, as the two inside forwards have proven themselves to be proficient goal-getters.
With United’s remaining funds heavily dependent on sales, the club may instead look to spend the £60 million it would take to sign Watkins on a high-level midfielder.
Manuel Ugarte’s form in his debut season was inconsistent. At the same time, Casemiro will not be able to play every minute, considering his age, and Toby Collyer has had to battle with injury issues, making him unreliable.
If United were to redirect some of their striker funding to a defensive midfield signing who can cope with Amorim’s demands and bring in a less flashy striker who can complement Cunha and Mbeumo, the club would be using their available funds in a much more effective manner.
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