Aston Villa have now made contact with the agents of an “unbelievable” £60m star, in order to assess whether he would be keen on a move to Villa Park this summer, according to a report.
Villa eyeing new striker amid Watkins uncertainty
It is no surprise that Ollie Watkins continues to be linked with a move away from Villa, given that the striker has performed very well for Villa in each of his last five Premier League campaigns.
|
Season |
PL appearances |
Goals |
Assists |
|
2020-21 |
37 |
14 |
5 |
|
2021-22 |
35 |
11 |
2 |
|
2022-23 |
37 |
15 |
6 |
|
2023-24 |
37 |
19 |
15 |
|
2024-25 |
38 |
16 |
8 |
Arsenal are well-known to be admirers of the England international, but the Gunners are now closing in on the signing of Viktor Gyokeres, which could open the door for the centre-forward to join a different club, and he has now been identified as Manchester United’s top target.
Although United were once again way below par in the 2024-25 campaign, moving to Old Trafford clearly remains an attractive proposition, with Matheus Cunha joining the Red Devils this summer, so there is a possibility that Watkins could be tempted by a move.
Should the 29-year-old depart, it would exacerbate the need for Unai Emery to bring in a new striker this summer, and Aston Villa are now stepping up their pursuit of Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson, according to a report from Football Insider.
Having recently opened talks with the Blues, the Villans have now made contact with Jackson’s entourage to assess whether he would be keen on making a move to Villa Park this summer, after an up-and-down year in west London.
Emery is known to be a big admirer of the Chelsea ace, and the Villa boss believes he has the potential to develop into one of the Premier League’s leading forwards.
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“Unbelievable” Jackson could be exciting signing for Villa
Emery knows the ex-Villarreal man very well, having spent time working with him at the La Liga club, and the manager clearly holds his former player in high regard, given his eagerness to bring him to Villa Park.
Trusting Emery has helped transform Aston Villa from a struggling side into European regulars, and there are signs the manager may also be correct about the Chelsea forward, given that he’s averaged over one goal contribution every other game in the Premier League.
Peter Crouch has also been left impressed by the Senegal international, lauding him as “unbelievable”, despite admitting the striker has been a little wasteful at times, having become well-known for missing a lot of chances.
That said, Emery clearly believes he can help turn Jackson into a top striker, so he could be a solid long-term signing for Villa, but a deal is unlikely to be cheap, with Chelsea thought to be holding out for a fee of around £60m.
