Manchester United wants to recruit a top 5 Premier League striker.

Manchester United is targeting Aston Villa's striker, Ollie Watkins, in the summer transfer window of 2024.

According to Goal, Manchester United aims to bolster their attack with the acquisition of Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa. The 28-year-old English forward has scored 27 goals in 52 appearances across all competitions this season, placing him among the top 5 goal scorers in the Premier League.

Former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane has endorsed Watkins for his former club. Last month, Keane praised Watkins, stating that the forward "could play for one of the top clubs" after witnessing his impressive performances at Aston Villa.

TalkSport reports that Watkins fits the profile of the striker that Manchester United's new owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, is seeking. Sir Jim Ratcliffe aims to strengthen Manchester United's transfer activities this summer. He has set the goal of recruiting a proven talent to enhance the team's attacking prowess. Watkins' goal-scoring ability and Premier League experience make him an attractive option for the Red Devils.

[caption id="attachment_5316" align="alignnone" width="600"] Ollie Watkins is the transfer target of Man Utd[/caption]

However, Manchester United's pursuit of Watkins won't be straightforward. Aston Villa has qualified for the Champions League, and Watkins signed a five-year contract last year. These factors significantly impact Manchester United's transfer plans.

To facilitate the restructuring of Manchester United, Sir Jim Ratcliffe plans to reduce the team's wage bill. High-profile players like Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, and Antony are reportedly set to be placed on Manchester United's transfer list. Selling these players would provide MU with the funds needed to execute transfers in the summer of 2024, including the potential signing of Watkins.

Who is Ollie Watkins?

Ollie Watkins was born on December 30, 1995, in Torquay, England. Standing at 1.80 meters tall, he currently plays for Aston Villa in the Premier League. Watkins began his career at Exeter City in the English fourth tier.

In the summer of 2017, Ollie Watkins joined Brentford while they were competing in the English Championship, for a fee of £1.8 million. After scoring 49 goals in 143 appearances for Brentford, Ollie Watkins moved to Aston Villa in the Premier League in the summer of 2020 for a club-record transfer fee of £28 million.

Ollie Watkins has scored a total of 70 goals in 168 appearances for Aston Villa across all competitions. In the current Premier League season, he ranks fourth in the league's top scorers list with 19 goals.

Notably, none of these goals have come from penalty kicks. According to the transfer market website Transfermarkt, Ollie Watkins is valued at €65 million (£55.8 million).