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Manchester United have been pressured to pivot to Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins of their seek for a striker this summer time.
Liam Delap was the primary alternative, due to Jason Wilcox’s persuasion, however the Englishman selected Stamford Bridge over Previous Trafford.
Viktor Gyokeres has at all times been Ruben Amorim’s most popular choice, due to their shared historical past at Sporting CP, however the Swede favours Arsenal over the Pink Devils.
Victor Osimhen is one other high-profile identify linked with a transfer to the Theatre of Desires, however his wage calls for have meant INEOS have stayed away until now.
The Aston Villa No.9 boasts of a stellar report within the English top-flight, scoring in double digits in every of his Premier League seasons, with 15 or extra coming in every of his final three seasons.
Ollie Watkins is an ideal match for Amorim
The England worldwide has the know-how of how the English sport works, and is within the prime of his profession. And his skillset actually matches in with Amorim’s calls for.
The Englishman can run the channels, is adept at his back-to-goal play, and in contrast to Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, Ollie Watkins is a fox within the field, a real goal-poacher, one thing the Pink Devils have lacked in current seasons.
Sadly, signing him is not going to be a cakewalk, with Villa demanding as a lot as £60 million, one thing INEOS are unlikely to sanction given the participant’s age, which implies a low resale worth.
And now, as per Givemesport, Arsenal have as soon as once more joined the race for the ex-Brentford ace, and are eyeing him ought to they fail to land both of Benjamin Sesko or Gyokeres.
That they had failed with a £40 million supply again in January. United have additionally bought in contact through intermediaries, and it stays to be seen which membership has the final giggle.
United vs Arsenal for Villa striker
“Manchester United and Arsenal have each made recent contact through intermediaries over a deal to signal Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.
“Arsenal’s recent contact comes after that they had a £40m bid to signal Watkins rejected six months in the past, with Villa having no want to promote the English striker at the moment as Arteta regarded to land a brand new striker for the second half of the 2024-25 marketing campaign.
“United have made recent contact over a possible deal for Watkins, in accordance with GMS sources.
“Like United, the Gunners are at the moment prioritising different transfers in assault for Sesko and Sporting Lisbon’s Gyokeres – who can also be a goal for United – and attempting to see if they will land both participant for €70m, in accordance with GMS sources.
“Nevertheless, in the event that they don’t discover a breakthrough on both of these offers, they may revisit a transfer for Watkins later within the switch window.”
Function picture Richard Heathcote through Getty Pictures
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