Ollie Watkins has made his feelings clear on his Aston Villa future after Manchester United approached the striker’s representatives.
Manchester United are undergoing a significant revamp of their attacking line this summer following a disappointing 2024/25 campaign that saw them finish 15th in the Premier League, with a lack of goals a major concern.
The club has already made a statement by securing Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo for the two no.10 positions in Ruben Amorim’s system.
Meanwhile, the search for a proven striker is ongoing after the club missed out on signing Liam Delap or Viktor Gyokeres earlier in the summer.
Now, it appear that the two leading candidates are RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa, although the Midlands club have said that Watkins is not for sale.
Watkins makes feelings clear amid United approach
Despite Villa’s claim that they will not sell Watkins this summer, it has been reported that they are interested in signing a striker, with Nicolas Jackson on their list.
That could potential open up space for Watkins to depart and the player himself is said to be keen of an Old Trafford move this summer.
Transfer reporter Graeme Bailey told UnitedInFocus: “Internal Manchester United sources confirm that they are progressing with their striker hunt and work has been ongoing for a number of weeks.
“Villa are publicly stating that Watkins is not for sale, but they are themselves in the market for other strikers, including Nicolas Jackson.
“Talks with United and Villa took place last week – United asked about Emi Martinez, while Villa spoke to them about Alejandro Garnacho, and we can confirm that Watkins was also spoken about.
“Talks with Watkins’ representatives have also taken place and there is a willingness from the player to move to Old Trafford.”
Watkins is preferred to Sesko
Many fans would view Watkins as the safer option between him and Sesko, partly due to his experience in the Premier League.
The 29-year-old is not a long-term solution for the Reds but could prove an important player for two or three years before they reassess the striker market.
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Watkins also fits the demands Amorim asks from his strikers, with the England international keen to run the channels and hold the ball up to bring teammates into play.
It seems like a deal which could end up happening but United will not want to overpay for this player as there is little resale value in this deal and it is not a long-term solution.
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