Ollie Watkins has emerged as a target for Manchester United after losing his starting spot to Marcus Rashford in recent weeks, with Unai Emery’s decisions seemingly playing into Ruben Amorim’s hands.
Manchester United are considering a surprise swap deal, which would involve Marcus Rashford moving to Villa and Watkins joining Arsenal’s transfer radar. Rashford, 27, has been on loan at Villa for the second half of the season, with a £40 million option for Villa to make the move permanent.
The England international has impressed Villa manager Unai Emery, to the point where he was named in the starting lineup for both Champions League quarterfinal matches against Paris Saint-Germain. However, this has come at the expense of Watkins, who has only started one of Villa’s last six matches before their game against Newcastle on Saturday.
Watkins made a statement in response to being recalled, contributing with a goal and an assist in a 4-1 victory, helping Villa’s push for a top-five finish. The 29-year-old had attracted a £60 million bid from Arsenal in the January transfer window, but Emery and the club opted to reject the offer, choosing to sell Jhon Duran instead.
Leave a Reply