Man Utd transfer development ‘to have major impact on Watkins at Aston Villa’
Ollie Watkins’ future at Aston Villa is in some doubt despite the striker’s importance to the club.
Watkins has finished as Villa’s top scorer in the Premier League in every season since joining from Brentford in September 2020.
The ever-present striker appeared in all 38 league fixtures last campaign, scoring 16 goals and registering eight assists.
Villa rejected a late bid from Arsenal for Watkins in January, but ongoing financial worries at Villa Park have left the door slightly ajar for their talisman to be sold this summer.
A lot will depend on whether other clubs can match Villa’s valuation of the 29-year-old, while recent developments in Manchester are also set to play a role.
Rasmus Højlund wishes to stay at United
United have explored signing Watkins this summer following a disappointing season in which they scored just 44 league goals.
Ruben Amorim is making sweeping changes to his front line as he still pursues Bryan Mbeumo, having already spent £62.5million on acquiring Matheus Cunha from Wolves.
As reported by The Athletic (June 30), a move for Watkins would depend on Rasmus Højlund’s situation and whether the Dane would leave the Red Devils.
| Competitions | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Minutes Played |
| Premier League | 32 | 4 | 1 | 2,104′ |
| Europa League | 15 | 6 | 3 | 996′ |
| Domestic Cups | 5 | – | – | 312′ |
The 22-year-old managed just 10 goals across all competitions last season and cut an isolated figure at times when leading the line.
Watkins could be open to moving to United. However, as revealed by Fabrizio Romano via X (7 July), Højlund desires to stay at United this summer despite interest from Inter Milan.
This will have a major impact on Watkins’ situation, as Villa would only accept a considerable bid for their striker that very few clubs outside of United could afford.
Unai Emery needs Watkins to stay
Unai Emery will be aware of the difficulties he faces in potentially having to sell some of his prized assets, but Watkins should be close to last on the list of expendable players.
The striker accounts for a massive percentage of the team’s goals, and although Morgan Rogers has grown as a viable threat, no one in the squad can match Watkins’ output.
Should Emery lose his services, it could cost Villa the chance of finishing in any European places next season, let alone qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.
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