Aston Villa could now make move for £50m “superstar” to replace Watkins

Aston Villa could make a move for a “superstar” striker to replace Ollie Watkins this summer, amid doubts over the England international’s future at Villa Park, Sky Sports reporter Sacha Tavolieri has revealed.

Watkins’ Villa future up in the air

It is well-known that Watkins has been a long-term target for Arsenal, but the Gunners are not the only Premier League club that admire the striker, with Liverpool and Manchester United recently expressing an interest.

However, with Mikel Arteta closing in on Viktor Gyokeres, and the Reds looking to sign Hugo Ekitike, a move to Old Trafford may be the more likely outcome, and there is a feeling the 29-year-old would be keen on signing for the Red Devils.

The Villa star leaving would, of course, be a blow for Unai Emery, given that he has been a regular source of goals and assists ever since his arrival in the top flight, picking up 16 goals and eight assists in the Premier League last season.

However, it is important that Emery has a replacement lined up just in case, and Tavolieri has now revealed that a Paris Saint-Germain forward has entered the frame as a potential option.

Taking to X, the Sky Sports reporter revealed Aston Villa could make a move for Randal Kolo Muani if Watkins is sold, having recently held talks about selling the Englishman to Man United.

Amid links to Newcastle United back in June, it was revealed that PSG could look to hold out for a fee of £50m, meaning the Villans will need to spend big if they are to get a deal over the line.

“Superstar” Kolo Muani could be solid Watkins replacement

While the 26-year-old found it difficult to cement his place in a star-studded PSG side, he impressed on loan at Juventus after joining the Italian club in the January transfer window, netting eight goals in 16 Serie A appearances.

The former Juventus loanee also caught the eye at the Club World Cup, collecting three goal contributions in as many games, and he has received high praise from German legend Lothar Matthäus in the past, who dubbed the Frenchman a “superstar”.

That said, while Kolo-Muani clearly has the talent to be a success at Villa Park, Emery’s number one priority should be to keep hold of Watkins, given that the centre-forward’s influence cannot be understated.

The former Brentford man has scored a minimum of 10 Premier League goals per season ever since arriving at Villa Park, and he featured in every single league game last season.