Aston Villa Ollie Watkins transfer stance could pave way for Chelsea and Man Utd swap deal

It's been a busy summer for both Manchester United and Chelsea, but there's still plenty of business to be done. The Blues have been linked with Xavi Simons and Jorrel Hato in recent days, while United are still on the hunt for a striker following Viktor Gyokeres' impending switch to Arsenal.

Gyokeres seemed set to join United earlier in the window, with reports suggesting that the lack of European football at Old Trafford wasn't a stumbling block. However, Arsenal's successful chase has forced the Red Devils to explore other options.

One such alternative was Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins, but the West Midlands club have reportedly told their Premier League rivals he's not for sale. That's according to The Telegraph, who report a hands-off warning has been issued, with Villa unwilling to let go of the striker at any cost.

This is another setback for United, who had also shown interest in Hugo Ekitike before the Frenchman's transfer to Liverpool. But all may not be lost, as Chelsea could potentially hold the solution to United's striker dilemma.

Whilst not necessarily their top priority this summer, United have been linked with a move for Nicolas Jackson, who may have slipped down the pecking order following Chelsea's summer dealings. The newly crowned Club World Cup champions have welcomed both Liam Delap and Joao Pedro to Stamford Bridge - two players capable of leading the attack and playing centrally.

football.london understands Chelsea chiefs remain content with their striker options this summer but should an offer come in, then it could still be considered. The Blues believe Jackson is worth around £100million, with the £79million deal between Liverpool and Eintracht Frankfurt for Hugo Ekitike one of the reasons behind this.

But, if Ruben Amorim and United believe that Jackson is the best man available on the market for the job, who's to say they couldn't offer up Alejandro Garnacho in return? The Argentine winger made headlines after criticising Amorim's decision to leave him on the bench for United's Europa League final, sparking rumours that his United career is now over.

Chelsea were interested in signing the 21-year-old in January, football.london understands, and are still tracking the winger. Now, however, both sides have players the other one is interested in, but might not be able to afford outright. Could it be a case of a simple player swap deal for United and Chelsea, or would that be too straightforward in the world of exorbitant transfer fees and PSR restrictions?

Story Saved

You can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.