Ollie Watkins to Man United reality after 'accepting' Arsenal transfer defeat

Ollie Watkins to Man United reality after 'accepting' Arsenal transfer defeat

Manchester United have reportedly accepted defeat in their pursuit of Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres, who has agreed to join Premier League rivals Arsenal

Aston Villa and England striker Ollie Watkins has been linked with a surprise move to Manchester United this summer (Image: PA )

Manchester United are reportedly intensifying their pursuit of Aston Villa and England forward Ollie Watkins. The Reds had initially set their sights on Sporting Lisbon's Viktor Gyokeres, who previously played under Old Trafford manager Ruben Amorim in Portugal.

However, United are said to believe that Gyokeres has chosen to sign with Arsenal instead, prompting them to shift their focus to 29-year-old Watkins. Despite ongoing difficulties in negotiating a deal with Brentford for Bryan Mbeumo, United are reportedly determined to secure Watkins' services.

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Watkins reportedly grew unhappy last season after falling behind loanee United striker Marcus Rashford during the latter half of the campaign. After Villa narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification on the final day of last season, losing 2-0 to United, Watkins is reportedly open to exploring new opportunities elsewhere.

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It is claimed that United have initiated preliminary discussions with Villa about signing Watkins, whom Amorim views as the perfect candidate to spearhead his attack, given his proven goal-scoring ability. Villa would demand around £60million for Watkins, who has three years remaining on his contract, but United are reluctant to meet this valuation due to his age and limited resale value.

United had reportedly proposed including Rashford in a swap deal for Watkins, but Villa declined the opportunity to sign the 27-year-old for £40m once his loan period ended. A potential stumbling block in United's pursuit of Watkins is their inability to offer European football, following their 1-0 defeat to Tottenham in the Europa League final in May, reports the Mirror.

United are looking to offload Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho, and Antony in an effort to raise funds for new signings. Watkins, who penned a new long-term deal with Villa in October 2023 extending his stay until 2028, faced competition last season from the likes of Jhon Duran and later Rashford, but wasn't always a first-choice starter.

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Emery expressed his admiration for Watkins to TNT Sports in March. "He's amazing because he's a really hard worker and his commitment to work every day is amazing," the Spaniard said. "When he is scoring goals, it's the main objective he can have. Where he is assisting as well, he's contributing to help the team.

"But even when he's not doing both, he's working for the team. Defensively, the commitment was always high.

"He is in the press to the opponent. His commitment and behaviour is always a very good example for others. His power is his mind. His mentality is the best quality he has."

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