Ollie Watkins 'keen' on Man Utd transfer with Aston Villa set to reduce asking price for England international

Having missed out on the likes of Liam Delap, Viktor Gyokeres, Hugo Ekitike and Victor Osimhen, the Red Devils are said to have turned their attention to RB Leipzig star Sesko in an ongoing bid to land a new No.9.

They do, however, face competition for the Slovenia international from Premier League rivals Newcastle. There is said to be “growing scepticism" in Germany that United can beat the Magpies to Sesko’s signature - given his £78 million ($104m) asking price.

Watkins would be a more budget friendly option, with The Sun reporting that Aston Villa are willing to accept a bid of between £40m and £50m ($66m) for the England international striker. 

It is also claimed that Watkins “feels the time is right to leave Villa Park” after netting 87 goals for the Villans across five seasons, and the striker is said to be "keen" on a transfer to United. The 29-year-old is not, however, the only frontman to be registering on Ruben Amorim’s recruitment radar.

Porto star Samu Aghehowa, who saw a move to Chelsea break down in 2024, is of interest to United, while Benfica forward Vangelis Pavlidis - who netted 30 goals last season and bagged a brace as Greece beat England at Wembley - is another option being considered.