Ruben Amorim must really weigh up the major positives and one glaring negative around a Manchester United-linked player ahead of a potential transfer move.
The Red Devils have only made one major summer signing this month, with Manchester United landing Matheus Cunha from Wolves for a £62.5m transfer fee.
United triggered Matheus Cunha’s release clause and completed the signing in June, but Ruben Amorim is still waiting for further reinforcements to arrive this summer.
Amorim has an uphill task at Old Trafford after the Red Devils’ lacklustre 2024-25 season, which ended with the club finishing in 15th place in the Premier League.
The 40-year-old United manager is expected to axe existing United first-team players this summer as part of a major squad overhaul ahead of the new season.
United are tipped to bring a new striker to Old Trafford this summer and the Red Devils have also been linked with signing a new midfielder for Amorim.
Ruben Amorim already told the biggest strengths of Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins amid Man Utd’s transfer interest
Manchester United were interested in Ollie Watkins in the past and the Red Devils have appeared to rekindle their interest in the 29-year-old Aston Villa ace.
Rasmus Hojlund has been linked with Inter Milan and the 22-year-old United striker could leave Old Trafford this summer after an underwhelming campaign.
It has been reported that United have added Ollie Watkins to a list of potential replacements for Rasmus Hojlund if the Denmark international is sold.
Aston Villa are expected to demand a £60m transfer for England international Watkins, who is under contract with the Premier League club until 2028.
Watkins struggled to impress former United and Liverpool striker Michael Owen after he failed to score in Aston Villa’s 0-0 Premier League draw against Leeds United.
“I really like Ollie Watkins,” Michael Owen told Premier League Productions in 2022, as per HITC.
“He’s their main man. Yes, Danny Ings is probably their best goalscorer, but he doesn’t offer them what Ollie Watkins offers.
“He offers virtually everything bar being a good finisher and that’s a problem. When he’s on it, he’s great because he looks like the complete player.
“But he’s not a consistent finisher. His final touch, before he finishes, is sometimes average.
“His decision-making. Tiny things. Both chances [against Leeds], he should have dinked it.
“It’s not just about arriving and dinking it over [Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier], though.
“It’s how fast you run towards the ball. If you are thinking the defender is going to get back onto the line, then you need to sprint as fast as you can and then dink it.”
Michael Owen’s assessment of Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins sends a clear message to Man Utd manager Ruben Amorim
Fast-forward from Ollie Watkins’ performance against Leeds United in 2022 and the Aston Villa striker has continued to develop in his playing career.
Watkins was in steady form during the 2024-25 campaign and the Three Lions forward netted 17 times and registered 14 assists in 54 matches for Villa.
However, the United-linked player’s goalscoring returns could still fall well short of what Amorim is expecting for a striker to lead the frontline in his system.
Matheus Cunha, for example, matched Watkins in goalscoring numbers across all competitions last season and the Brazilian did it in only 36 matches for Wolves.
Watkins’ numbers in the final third would be welcomed compared with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, but the returns are still well short of what is needed.
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/wgMdNCl