Premier League side Sheffield United are interested in signing Championship player Ollie Watkins, who currently plays for Brentford. The 23-year-old has had a fantastic start to the 2019-20 campaign, which has attracted the Blades’ interest.
According to The Sun, Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder could sanction a transfer offer of around £15 million to sign Watkins to strengthen his attack.
The report further states that the Blades have been tracking the forward for a few years now, and they could finally make a bid for him this season. Crystal Palace were also reportedly interested in signing Watkins in the summer, but Brentford’s asking price was too high for the Eagles.
Watkins joined the Championship side in 2017, and has scored 30 goals in 103 appearances for the club, having moved from Exeter City in 2017.
He is the Championship’s second-highest goalscorer so far this season with 7 goals from 11 appearances. He signed a new deal earlier this year in August and his current contract with Brentford will only expire in 2023.
Why Ollie Watkins would be a good option for Chris Wilder
The Blades have several attackers in their squad, as many as five players who can play as strikers. Summer signings Oliver McBurnie and Lys Mousset are strikers, while another summer signing, Callum Robinson, has played as a striker this season. Apart from these three, Wilder has experienced strikers, Billy Sharp and David McGoldrick, in his squad as well.
Watkins is a different kind of player to what the Blades have at the moment. The 23-year-old is a versatile forward who can play on the left or right and drift inside, into central areas, but he has played as the main striker this season, resulting in him scoring 7 goals.
He can also play in the No. 10 role, playing as an attacking midfielder or as a second striker, which will fit well in Wilder’s 3-5-2 formation.
The 23-year-old likes to run at defenders and take them on with his pace and dribbling from deep areas. Watkins is a neat finisher in and around the box, averaging 2.8 shots per game this season in the Championship. The attacker is also good in the air, winning an average of two aerial balls per game this season.
Watkins would be a good signing for the Blades and would fit in well in the Sheffield United team that play with a lot of heart and intensity.