Man United offered Rashford + £50M for Ollie Watkins – but Aston Villa REJECTED it due to surprise demand

The disclosed swap arrangement involving Marcus Rashford and Ollie Watkins between Manchester United and Aston Villa has drawn attention throughout the football community.

As reported by *The Athletic*, United initiated contact with Villa about exchanging the two forwards, a move that had the potential to significantly alter the attacking lineups of both teams.

Nevertheless, despite preliminary talks, the agreement did not come to fruition — with multiple factors behind the breakdown.

Rashford, currently 27 years old, spent the latter half of last season on loan at Villa Park after being sidelined at United under the management of Rúben Amorim.

His spell at Aston Villa included a £40 million purchase option, granting Unai Emery’s squad the chance to secure him permanently. Still, Villa ultimately declined to activate that clause.

On the surface, this choice might have appeared simple, but reports reveal that a possible player exchange involving Watkins was briefly explored by both parties.

From Manchester United’s viewpoint, this strategy made tactical sense. Ollie Watkins had a standout 2023/24 season, tallying 17 Premier League goals and 14 assists — offensive contributions United greatly needed.

With Rashford’s future at Old Trafford uncertain and doubts surrounding the effectiveness of Rasmus Højlund and newcomer Joshua Zirkzee, the chance to acquire a dependable Premier League striker like Watkins seemed ideal.

Watkins’ attributes — speed, energy, relentless pressing, and intelligent off-the-ball movement — fit well with Amorim’s tactical approach.

He brings a high work rate and positional awareness that Rashford, despite his abilities, has at times been criticized for lacking.

Watkins is also naturally suited for a high-press, fluid system — a style United aims to adopt under their fresh leadership.

For Aston Villa, the prospect of adding Marcus Rashford, a player with world-class promise, would have been attractive.

Rashford demonstrated moments of brilliance in European tournaments during his loan and was even preferred to Watkins in both legs of Villa’s Champions League quarterfinal clash with PSG — a decision that reportedly upset Watkins.

Speaking with Sky Sports, Watkins later confessed he was “fuming” about being benched, though he accepted the manager’s choice.

However, financial prudence and concerns about Rashford’s inconsistency might have influenced Villa’s decision.

The club, already constrained by Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules, had to be cautious with expensive transfers.

Following the £65 million sale of Jhon Durán to Al-Nassr, they possibly felt less urgency to sell Watkins.

Additionally, parting with their leading scorer — a supporter favorite — in exchange for a player still seeking his top form might have backfired both on and off the field.

United, on the other hand, have reportedly revived their interest in Watkins independently of the Rashford swap, indicating their search for a reliable striker continues.

Whether Villa are willing to sell remains uncertain, but with financial strains increasing and Watkins expressing dissatisfaction about his role, there may still be developments in this narrative.

Ultimately, the Rashford-for-Watkins swap deal fell through, but it revealed a compelling situation where both clubs

stood to gain — and risk — a great deal.