Euro giants enter race for flop but Red Devils told Aston Villa replacement will cost £100m

Rasmus Hojlund could be replaced by Ollie Watkins at Old Trafford.

It could cost Man Utd £100m to sign Ollie Watkins this summer as Roma enter the race to sign Rasmus Hojlund, according to reports.

The Red Devils were the fifth lowest goalscorers in the Premier League last season as Ruben Amorim’s side finished 15th in the table in a terrible campaign.

Hojlund, who was signed for £72m from Atalanta in 2023, and Joshua Zirkzee came in for a lot of criticism with the Man Utd duo scoring just seven Premier League goals between them.

And now Man Utd are on the lookout for a new striker this summer but it is not clear which of the duo will leave Old Trafford this summer.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed on Monday that Hojlund wants to stay at Man Utd this summer and will only leave if the Red Devils force him out.

Romano said: “Hojlund is not pushing to leave Man United. Højlund would love to stay at Man United, would love to continue at Man United, would love to do his best for Man United again in a new season.

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“So, Hojlund would really hope and love to stay at Manchester United. The only possibility for Hojlund to go is if Manchester United decide to let him go, to sell him, to make profit with him, and all these kind of things.

“If Man United decide for him to go, Hojlund has to go. Otherwise, if it’s for Hojlund, I’m hearing that the player would be keen on staying at Manchester United and would love to stay at Manchester United.”

And now Roma are set to enter the race for Hojlund with Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio told TipsBladet that the Serie A side ‘will probably come on board because [Gian Piero] Gasperini really likes him, but it can only succeed as a loan deal’.

An immediate move to Inter Milan currently ‘seems dead’ while other Italian sides AC Milan and Atalanta could also join the race later in the summer.

Aston Villa striker Watkins is a rumoured target to improve the Red Devils’ attack but former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson insists that the deal could total £100m, including wages.

Borson told Football Insider: “I think a lot of what United are lining up is dependent on players leaving.

“Actually, Hojlund in many regards is not one of the players that I’ve sort of had at the fore of my mind for what their challenges are.

“It does look like there’s a little bit of interest maybe in Hojlund, but at what financial level? If it’s a loan deal, then does that really help them?

“But let’s say they get rid of a whole load of players and then look at Ollie Watkins. Now, Ollie Watkins is a player that’s 29 and 30 in December.

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“I would be quite amazed if Manchester United after everything that they’ve talked about, every sort of bit of briefing that they’ve given, if they then said what we’re going to do now is we’re going to bring in a 29-year-old player this season and put him on a five-year contract because that’s what it’s going to be.

“Ollie Watkins is not moving to United for less than £200,000 a week, so we’re going to have a £10million contract. We have to pay a £50million transfer fee and he’s 29.

“I don’t know, football is crazy. It’s not impossible, and they definitely obviously have shown some interest.

“But it’s pretty amazing that they’d do a £100million deal on Ollie Watkins after everything they’ve just been through with other failed signings.”

Former Man Utd defender Paul Parker would welcome the signing of “workaholic” Watkins admits he is a “fan” of the Aston Villa striker.

Parker told Goal: “I’d have to say yes. He’s honest, he’s a workaholic, and I’ve found it strange how players are playing in front of him at Aston Villa.

“I’m a fan of Ollie Watkins, people will talk about his age, but he’s someone who is willing to run the line, someone who will try and turn bad into a good and can score goals.

“He’s very strong in the air as well and he can lead the line, which is a massive plus for Man Utd because they never had that last season – a blind man would have done better.”

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