Man United Step Up Ollie Watkins Chase

Manchester United have ramped up efforts to sign Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins after missing out on Sporting Lisbon's Viktor Gyokeres, who is close to joining Arsenal. United have held talks with Villa and considered a swap involving Marcus Rashford, but Rashford favors a move to Barcelona. Watkins remains a £60 million target for both United and Arsenal, though Villa are reluctant to sell amid financial pressures following their failure to qualify for the Champions League. United may need to fund a move for Watkins through sales of players such as Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho, or Rasmus Hojlund. The club also continues to pursue Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo and monitor options like Ivan Toney. Meanwhile, Villa are exploring sales, including possibly goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, to comply with financial fair play rules.