Rio Ferdinand urges Manchester United to sign Ollie Watkins
Rio Ferdinand has advised Manchester United to pursue Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins while criticising the club for missing out on Danny Welbeck.
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has insisted that the club must urgently strengthen their forward line. He has urged the United hierarchy to explore a surprise transfer for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins before the summer window closes.
Ferdinand also voiced strong disappointment over the club's failure to challenge for Danny Welbeck, who instead joined Chelsea. He argued that Welbeck could have provided significant value to the squad, even in a supporting role at this stage of his career.
Reflecting on the team's struggles following the defeat to Hull City, Ferdinand questioned whether the club still has the budget to bring in a high-profile attacker after focusing resources elsewhere.
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. Rio Ferdinand
Watkins, who has been highly prolific since joining from Brentford in 2020, appears to be nearing an exit from Villa Park after being excluded from the squad for the recent defeat to Brighton. Meanwhile, Manchester United have prioritized midfield reinforcements this summer, leaving marquee signing Benjamin Sesko on the bench in favor of other options.