Manchester United are in talks with Aston Villa as they explore the prospect of a summer transfer deal for England international striker Ollie Watkins, according to The Athletic.
The Red Devils want a new number 9 should Rasmus Hojlund be sold, and they have identified the Villa star as a potential target.
Man United discussed involving Watkins in a deal which would have seen Marcus Rashford move in the other direction permanently at the end of last season, but the desire of their academy graduate to join Barcelona ended the possibility of a swap deal.
Villa wanted £60 million from Arsenal for the 29-year-old in January and still believe he is worth it after he notched 17 goals and 14 assists in 54 games last term.
Some at Man United see Watkins as the transfer target most likely to be a reliable source of goals in the Premier League, but his fee could prove tricky for the Red Devils.
The Old Trafford club are closing in on a move for Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo and may need to sell players before they can make further recruitment, and it is not guaranteed a striker will be signed if outgoings are insufficient.
It remains to be seen whether a deal for Watkins can be sealed, but snapping up such a talented and experienced striker could be huge for Man United.
He has proven himself in the English top-flight, bagging 19 goals and 15 assists in 37 league games in 2023-24, 15 goals and six assists in 37 league games in 2022-23, 11 goals and two assists in 35 league games in 2021-22 and 14 goals and five assists in 37 league games in 2020-21.
Red Devils head coach Ruben Amorim could do with such a player leading his line, and adding him to an attack boasting Matheus Cunha, Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes could turn the club into serious title challengers.