Man United's target is in conflict with the club, wanting to leave

Man United can quietly celebrate as irreconcilable disputes have arisen between Ollie Watkins and Aston Villa.

Ollie Watkins is advised to leave Aston Villa during the upcoming January transfer window. According to Alan Pardew, the England striker "wants to leave" after a very slow start to the season. So far, Watkins has scored only 1 goal in 19 appearances across all competitions for Villa this season.

Moreover, he has not started in the last two matches under coach Unai Emery. Instead, Donyell Malen has been preferred to lead Aston Villa’s attack. As a result, Watkins has only come off the bench for 36 minutes in Villa’s 1-0 Premier League victory.

Pardew believes it’s time for the 29-year-old striker to leave Villa Park. On talkSPORT’s The Final Word, he said: “I think Ollie wants to leave, honestly. He has good reason because in last season’s Champions League quarter-finals, he was sidelined to make way for a loan player, Marcus Rashford, in both legs. He was a key figure who scored the goals that got them there, yet he didn’t play in the end. I think the bridge between them has burned and is hard to mend.”

Pardew added: “I might be wrong, but judging by his body language and what’s happening around him, it might be better for everyone if Watkins moves on. He is a talented player and if he wants to keep his place in the England squad, he might need to join another club.”

Watkins’ current contract still has two and a half years remaining, having extended it in October 2023 until summer 2029. However, his future at Villa is now highly uncertain. With the 2026 World Cup approaching, Watkins wants more playing time to secure a spot in England’s World Cup squad.

The conflict between Watkins and Aston Villa is good news for Man United. The English striker was pursued by the Red Devils throughout last summer. However, Aston Villa refused to let him go, and Man United turned their attention to Benjamin Sesko as an alternative option.

Nevertheless, Man United are still open to signing an experienced striker to rotate and mentor Sesko. Therefore, if Watkins wants to leave Aston Villa, Man United could definitely revisit the deal. The price would likely be lower than last summer due to the broken relationship between Watkins and the club. This is why Man United can quietly celebrate this news.

Related articles

Bruno Fernandes gives special praise to his MU teammate Mason Mount shines with a decisive goal helping MU beat Crystal Palace, earning praise from Bruno Fernandes and coach Ruben Amorim, opening the door for a resurgence at Old Trafford. See more