Manchester clubs and Arsenal reportedly eye Ollie Watkins
Interest in Aston Villa Striker
Manchester United and Arsenal are reportedly monitoring Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins. The 30-year-old forward has attracted interest from various clubs across England and Europe.
Villa recently rejected an approach from Fenerbahce, who were reportedly preparing an offer for the England international. Villa made it clear they would not accept such a proposal.
According to one report, numerous clubs are keen to secure Watkins’ signature this summer. Fenerbahce had reportedly hoped to offer Watkins a three-year contract valued between £7.5 million and £8.5 million annually.
Arsenal’s Search for Attacking Options
Arsenal is looking to strengthen its forward line and could turn its attention to Watkins. The club has reportedly encountered difficulties in its pursuit of Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid.
Reports earlier this week suggested that Arsenal might be willing to offer Viktor Gyokeres as part of a deal to acquire Alvarez. Alvarez, who has scored 49 goals and provided 17 assists in 106 matches for Atletico since joining from Manchester City, is admired by the Arsenal hierarchy.
Mikel Arteta is seeking to bolster his front line this summer, with Alvarez being one of the targets. However, Atletico Madrid has reportedly been reluctant to let him leave, and Barcelona is also said to be interested in the 26-year-old.
Arsenal has been linked with Watkins in previous transfer windows. While Villa communicated its stance to Fenerbahce, both Arsenal and Manchester United are reportedly interested in Watkins to enhance their attacking options. A sum of £40 million might be sufficient to bring Villa to the negotiating table.
Arsenal is anticipated to offload Gabriel Jesus this summer, with the Brazilian forward attracting attention from Serie A club AC Milan. Arsenal reportedly views Watkins as a suitable replacement.
Manchester United’s Potential Move
Manchester United is also watching Watkins, particularly amid speculation surrounding Joshua Zirkzee’s potential return to Italy. Juventus is reportedly pursuing the former Bologna striker, who played in Serie A before his move to Old Trafford.
Earlier reports indicated that the Dutch international had given his approval to Juventus ahead of transfer discussions with United, though no formal club-to-club negotiations have reportedly taken place yet.
AS Roma is also understood to be interested in signing Zirkzee this summer. Should United part ways with the 25-year-old, one report suggests that Michael Carrick’s team would be prepared to make a formal push for Watkins.
Villa is reportedly in a position where it needs to offload players to comply with UEFA regulations. United previously activated a release clause in Youri Tielemans’ Villa contract to secure the Belgian international’s services. Paris Saint-Germain is also reportedly in talks to re-sign Lucas Digne.
Money may play a significant role in any potential transfer. Sources suggest that Villa could consider offers around £40 million, and the financial capacity of Premier League clubs is emerging as a factor that could influence their decision to retain Watkins.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid is reportedly working on a deal to sign Manchester City midfielder Rodri. Additionally, Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca is considering a transfer for Chelsea winger Pedro Neto this summer, amidst ongoing uncertainty about Neto’s future at Stamford Bridge.
Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United are competing to sign 28-year-old Rayo Vallecano full-back Andrei Ratiu. Chelsea is also reported to be the favourite to sign Bosnia-Herzegovina teenager Kerim Alajbegovic from Bayer Leverkusen.
In other football news, Harry Kane is set to open talks with Bayern Munich regarding a new contract. Furthermore, Darwin Nunez could be offered a move to the MLS.
Source: skysports.com
Amelia Stockwell is a Sports Reporter at News GB. She covered two Commonwealth Games for a national outlet. She focuses on tennis, cricket and athletics and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. She holds a degree in Sport and Media from the University of York and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in York, she runs with a local club and follows county cricket. “The quiet stories often matter most by the end of the season.”
