Manchester United is considering recruiting striker Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa if Rasmus Hojlund leaves Old Trafford this summer.
Man United to keep an eye on Ollie Watkins, ready to replace Hojlund
Rasmus Hojlund has not met the expectations since joining Man United from Atalanta for a fee of 72 million pounds in 2023. Last season, the Danish striker only scored 4 goals in the Premier League, the figure was too modest compared to the potential and price that United spent.
Recently, Hojlund has confirmed that he wanted to stay at Old Trafford, and said he still had a contract until 2028. However, that could not fully extinguish rumors about a farewell, with Inter Milan that was said to have offered attention.
 |
| Man United to keep an eye on Ollie Watkins, ready to replace Hojlund |
According to The Athletic, in the case of Hojlund, Manchester United prepared a list of alternatives, and the prominent name among them is Ollie Watkins. The 29 -year -old is the main striker of Aston Villa and has contributed 16 goals and 8 assists in the Premier League season 2024/25. He had 75 goals after 184 matches for the Midlands team, and owned 5 goals in England's shirt.
The source said that the United leadership approached Watkins's representative to explore the transfer ability, even though everything had just stopped at the preliminary exploration. The top of the Old Trafford believes that Watkins is an ideal solution to solve the Premier League scoring problem.
Earlier, in the loan contract of Marcus Rashford to the Villa Park in the second half of the last season, the two clubs installed the £ 40 million purchase terms. However, the intention to pair Watkins into an agreement between the two sides broke down when Rashford expressed his desire to join Barcelona.
The Ruben Amorim coach is said to be still looking for cards ready to fight instead of continuing to target young names that have not been verified. Although the policy under Sir Jim Ratcliffe prioritizes young talents, Watkins, who will turn 30 years later this year, is the experienced player that Amorim highly appreciates.
On the side of Aston Villa, a cult deal can help them improve the financial situation to meet the Premier League's profit and sustainability regulations (PSR), although the seller of the women's team is temporarily helping to balance the budget.