Manchester United remain open to strengthening their attack, but a renewed move for Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins is not currently part of their plans.
The club's transfer window has largely focused on other areas, with midfield strengthened through the arrivals of Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos. Adding experienced support for Benjamin Sesko, the only natural senior No. 9 guaranteed a major role, would improve the squad, but the club appear determined to pursue a cheaper and more suitable profile.
United's decision to invest heavily in Sesko has changed the type of forward Michael Carrick now requires. The club are no longer searching for a guaranteed first-choice striker capable of leading the entire rebuild, but instead need someone prepared to compete with Sesko, cover injuries and offer a different tactical option during a season that includes Champions League football.
A deal for Watkins would be difficult to justify for a rotational role, given his likely transfer fee and expectations over playing time. Watkins has attracted attention from Premier League clubs, including Arsenal, who were also monitoring him.
For United, the potential competition from other clubs makes walking away from Watkins even more understandable. Paying a premium to defeat Arsenal would create unnecessary pressure on a player arriving primarily to share minutes with Sesko.
Michael Carrick would be better served by a younger forward, an experienced short-term option or an opportunistic late-window deal. Watkins would improve United immediately, but the timing is wrong. The money required should instead be directed towards positions where the club still lacks a clear starter.
