Manchester United were linked to Aston Villa and England striker Ollie Watkins on Monday by The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell, who noted that Watkins was initially part of a proposal for a permanent transfer offer for Marcus Rashford. While a move for Rashford to Villa is now looking unlikely due to his preference for a transfer abroad, Whitwell maintained that Watkins is still considered an option if United can offload Rasmus Hojlund.
Since his transfer to United in 2023, Hojlund has endured a difficult period, managing to score only four goals in 32 Premier League appearances last season. Despite a change in manager not affecting his playing time, Ruben Amorim expressed clear frustrations with the team’s attack. Hojlund continued to start, largely due to the lack of alternative options available in that position.
Watkins has enjoyed a successful stint at Villa since joining in 2020, netting 75 goals in 184 Premier League appearances and achieving double figures in five consecutive seasons. He wrapped up the last campaign with a commendable tally of 16 goals and 8 assists in the league, along with 5 goals from his 18 caps for England.
However, it’s worth noting that Watkins will turn 30 this year. He is under contract with Villa for another two seasons and is likely to seek a pay hike from his present salary of about £130,000 per week (as per Spotrac). While he may not meet the ideal profile for transfer targets (younger players approaching their peak), he is a proven performer in the Premier League and could provide crucial depth and choices at the striker position. Although there hasn’t been much discussion regarding a fee or concrete links at this point, any move for Watkins should be seen as a secondary or surplus option rather than a top priority, especially with United’s financial constraints until they can shift some players.
