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Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins is among the players on Manchester United's radar as they look to sign a new striker this summer, according to The Athletic.
It's no secret that manager Erik ten Hag wants to add an elite centre-forward to his ranks ahead of the 2023-24 season. Harry Kane was identified as the top target, but the Red Devils have admitted defeat in their pursuit due to Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy's reluctance to sell the striker.
Manchester United are not prepared to spend a significant amount of time trying to convince Levy to sell Kane. They have thus turned their attention towards alternatives, with Rasmus Hojlund said to be at the top of the list.
It was said that Atalanta would cash in on Hojlund for €47 million (£40 million) this summer. However, the Serie A club clarified that they want €100 million (£85 million) for the Dane during talks with his agents this week, according to the aforementioned source. The English giants deem the valuation to be too high and do not intend to offer close to that sum.
The Old Trafford outfit have also considered Eintracht Frankfurt's Randal Kolo Muani, Napoli's Victor Osimhen and Benfica Goncalo Ramos. However, all of them could command a hefty fee, too, and also have to adapt to Premier League football.
Aston Villa frontman Watkins has thus emerged as an option for Manchester United, as per the report. Ten Hag's side are said to have scouted the England international, who has a proven Premier League record.
Watkins, 27, has bagged 43 goals and 13 assists in 116 appearances across competitions for Villa since arriving from Brentford in 2020. He could be available for a cheaper fee than the other options, as his contract ends in two years. However, it's worth noting that the Birmingham-based club have opened talks over a new deal.
Manchester United-target Ollie Watkins' 2022-23 season in numbers
Ollie Watkins had a fruitful 2022-23 season, bagging 15 goals and six assists in 37 Premier League appearances.
He was the joint-seventh top scorer in the English top flight last term. The striker's performances helped Aston Villa finish seventh and qualify for the UEFA Europa Conference League.
One of Watkins' best performances of the season came in Villa's 3-0 win against Newcastle United at home in April. He was involved in all three goals, bagging a brace and providing anassist. The Manchester United-target could have had a hat-trick, as he hit the woodwork.
The former Brentford star was particularly in red-hot form between January and April, scoring 11 goals in 12 Premier League games. Watkins has bagged a goal and an assist in eight games against Manchester United, whom he could join this summer.
