Manchester United have been linked with a move for the £60m Aston Villa striker, but it seems a deal is unlikely for two major reasons
Ollie Watkins
Wanted man... Villa striker Ollie Watkins(Image: 2025 Getty Images)
Manchester United being interested in a deal to take Ollie Watkins to Old Trafford is the talk of the Premier League.
The initial reaction is why would Villa countenance selling their top scorer, even if he is 29-year-old? Reports suggest PSR is no longer a huge driver in Villa's transfer planning, but speculation around Watkins' future at Villa Park is nothing new, so there may be something in it after all.
But what about the Old Trafford take on all this? STEVEN RAILSTON, United writer for our sister website the Manchester Evening News, has taken a look at the ramifications of a Watkins pursuit...
OLLIE Watkins would be a great addition at Manchester United but a potential deal seems too good to be true.
Watkins is proven in the Premier League and he demonstrated his quality with England last summer at Euro 2024. He is an experienced centre-forward and would guarantee goals.
The 29-year-old ticks most boxes, although Aston Villa are believed to want £60m to consider a sale and United won't be able to meet that valuation, which puts a dampener on a proposed switch to Old Trafford.
Marcus Rashford usurped Watkins' starting role at Villa Park for a handful of matches during his loan, but Rashford has returned to Manchester and is unlikely to be used in a swap deal.
United would have to fund a move for Watkins through traditional means and a summer sale of Rasmus Hojlund would unlock funds, but that is not close to happening at this stage.
Ruben Amorim is open to selling Hojlund and Inter Milan have shown an interest, but Hojlund played down the possibility of him making a return to Italy when he spoke last month.
"I have a contract until 2030, so I expect to play for Manchester United," Hojlund said. "I'm looking forward to going on a summer vacation, and then I'm fully dedicated to the project that's underway."
Most supporters have given up on Hojlund after an incredibly disappointing second season at the club, but he scored 16 goals in a positive debut campaign and could bounce back.
Having said that, Watkins would objectively be an upgrade on Hojlund and he should be targeted if the opportunity presents itself, although that will ultimately hinge on Hojlund's future.
Any advancement on the England international is more likely to happen near the end of the summer window, and the second stumbling block is whether Aston Villa would actually be willing to sell Watkins.
Villa are one of the top flight clubs that are struggling with profitability and sustainability, but they are set to sell their women's team to avoid a breach, which should give them some wriggle room.
The elephant in the room is who would lead their attack if Watkins were sold? Rashford's loan has concluded and Jhon Duran was sold to Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr in the January transfer window.
It seems unlikely Villa would sell two goalscoring strikers in successive transfer windows, especially when there are limited striker options to replace Watkins currently in the transfer market.
Villa are also a direct rival to United due to the good work of Unai Emery. The Spaniard has established Villa as European challengers during his reign and would not want to strengthen a competitor.
Watkins has scored 87 goals during his time in Birmingham and reliable goalscorers are difficult to find, so Villa would obviously be better off sticking and not twisting in this summer window.
The only way a deal would make sense from a Villa perspective would be if United submitted a bid that was impossible to reject, but United are not going to break the bank for any player, never mind a 29-year-old.
Watkins would be a superb signing, but it's a deal that feels improbable at this stage.
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