Aston Villa have now been credited with an interest in signing a “world-class” £21 million ace who is already in talks with Manchester City.
Aston Villa line up replacements for Ollie Watkins
In recent weeks, Ollie Watkins’ name has been mentioned in regards to a move to Premier League rivals Manchester United. It’s been reported that the 29-year-old is considered a key target for Ruben Amorim, and Watkins himself is said to be keen on the move to Old Trafford.
Aston Villa "ready" to move for "special" £60m star with Emery a "big fan"
The Villans are poised to make an approach for a forward, who would jump at the opportunity to move to Villa Park.
ByDominic LundJul 21, 2025
Ideally, Villa would like to keep hold of the England international, but it has also been claimed that they have placed a £60 million price tag on Watkins’ head. Should the forward leave, Villa would need to find a suitable replacement, and according to recent reports, there are two names under consideration.
Sky Sports reporter Sacha Tavolieri revealed over the weekend that Villa could look to sign Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani should Watkins depart Villa Park. The 26-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at Juventus but has now returned to France, where it looks as though he has no future.
Villa are not the only team interested in Kolo Muani, as Manchester United and Newcastle are also keen and have held talks over a possible move.
Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson is also a target for the Villans, as Unai Emery is a big fan of the forward after the pair worked together at Villarreal. Jackson is said to be open to a move to Villa, as he would be interested in working with Emery once again.
Aston Villa keen on Denzel Dumfries despite Man City talks
But signing a new striker is not all that the Midlands side are focused on, as according to reports relayed by Birmingham Live, Aston Villa are interested in signing Denzel Dumfries from Inter Milan.
The 29-year-old, who has been with the Serie A giants since 2021, signed a new contract in November last year, extending his stay until 2028. However, his new deal has a release clause worth €25 million, which is roughly £21 million, and that runs until the end of July.
Dumfries, who has been labelled “world-class” by renowned analytics company StatMuse, is weighing up his future, as he’s yet to settle on a permanent agent. The Dutch international has been linked with a move to Barcelona as a potential replacement for Jules Koundé, but perhaps more worryingly for Villa, Football Transfers reported earlier this month that Man City have held talks to sign Dumfries this summer, as the Blues are in the market for a new right-back.
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Villa do already have Matty Cash and Andres Garcia at their disposal for the right-back spot, but Emery might feel it is time for a new arrival who can be deployed in various formations as a wing-back and full-back.