Rio Ferdinand says Manchester United should explore a shock deal to sign Ollie Watkins and criticised the decision not to rival Chelsea for Danny Welbeck.
Watkins looks set to leave Aston Villa before the summer transfer window closes after missing the club’s opening Premier League game on Sunday.
The 30-year-old was left out of the matchday squad for the dismal 4-0 defeat at Brighton after Unai Emery confirmed interest from Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal.
Speaking before this weekend’s heavy defeat, Emery refused to guarantee Watkins would still be an Aston Villa player by the time the transfer window shuts.
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‘We have an issue with him, it’s clear,’ Emery said. ‘He is our player, we have had offers for him.
‘I don’t want to sell him but it can change because if it’s a good option for him and the club and I can replace him in the squad, this is the routine we have and we did before with the players who are leaving.
‘With Ollie, he is here, for me he is a fantastic striker, we have always believed in him.
‘Now he is our player, there are 10 days more or less to finish the transfer window, we will see what happens, I’m happy with him, if he is staying with us he will continue playing his level.
‘If he leaving it’s because it is good for three ways, one is him, another is the club and another is the team.’
Watkins has scored 108 goals for Aston Villa since his 2020 move from Brentford and is the club’s record Premier League scorer.
He has been an England regular in recent years and was selected in Thomas Tuchel’s squad for the World Cup earlier in the summer but barely featured.
Arsenal expressed interest in signing Watkins back in January and Ferdinand believes Manchester United should also consider a move for the wantaway star.
£73m signing Benjamin Sesko was named on United’s bench for Saturday’s shock defeat to Hull City, with Matheus Cunha leading the line.
Man United have not been linked with many strikers this summer, with the club’s focus bolstering Michael Carrick’s midfield options with the signings of Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba.
But Ferdinand would be keen for a new striker to arrive at Old Trafford and named Watkins as a possible target after Manchester United failed to pursue Welbeck.
Welbeck completed a cheap move to Chelsea earlier in the summer and Ferdinand is disappointed United did not try to bring him back to the club.
‘The importance of Benjamin Sesko is huge, especially going to a place like that,’ Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel when analysing Manchester United’s dismal defeat at Hull.
‘You need him in the team and I’m interested to see how he does this season in that sense.
‘The big question is, does United’s budget stretch to go and get an Ollie Watkins or someone like that now?
‘If Danny Welbeck was on the market, and he clearly was, that’s one who Man United should have gone for because he could still have had an important role to play despite being happy to be on the bench at this stage of his career.
‘But let’s not get too carried away, it’s the first game of the season and we know it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
‘Manchester United need to set their stall out in a realistic manner. We can’t pretend that Man United should be going for the Premier League title this season.
‘We all want that but you need to be realistic and realise where you are. I think they will finish in the top-four and I would be happy with top-four.
‘We need to consolidate the success we had last season and if we can get a trophy on top of that then great.’
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