Aston Villa Rejects Manchester United Bid For Striker Ollie Watkins

Manchester United is actively seeking to strengthen their attacking options by signing a proven Premier League striker, with Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa emerging as a primary target. Despite United's interest and an approach, Aston Villa has firmly rejected any offers for Watkins, stating he is not for sale at any price, emphasizing his importance to their plans, especially with European competition ahead. Watkins, 29, has been a key player for Villa, contributing 17 goals and 14 assists last season, and previously attracted a £60 million bid from Arsenal that was also turned down. United has already invested heavily this summer, signing Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo for around £130 million, but manager Ruben Amorim desires an experienced central striker to alleviate the goal-scoring burden, as current forwards Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have underperformed. Other targets such as Liam Delap and Hugo Ekitike have either moved elsewhere or declined United's advances, and the club also failed in a loan bid for Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. With Watkins unavailable, United is expected to explore alternative options to fulfill their striker role while offloading several squad members to fund their transfer plans.