Man Utd weigh up swap deal with £80m striker arriving for Rashford

Manchester United are cooking up a blockbuster swap deal that could see Marcus Rashford head to Aston Villa in exchange for red-hot striker Ollie Watkins.

Ruben Amorim is looking to rebuild the squad over the summer with United stuck in 14th after a 4-1 Newcastle hammering.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is ready to shake things up, and offloading Rashford—once a homegrown hero—might just fund a new era at Old Trafford.

Rashford, 27, was a shadow of his 30-goal 2022-23 self before leaving on loan in January. His £325,000-a-week contract, running to 2028, and off-field distractions have frustrated fans, with boos raining down during United’s 2-0 loss to Villa in December.

Amorim, who’s won only six of 21 games, sidelined Rashford before he left saying: “Marcus needs to fight for his place.”

Enter Watkins, Villa’s 29-year-old talisman. His 19 goals last season fired Unai Emery’s side to the Champions League, and he’s bagged eight this term, including a brace against Arsenal.

Sources say Villa, aware of Rashford’s 83 England caps and pace, are open to a swap, valuing Watkins at £80m but willing to negotiate with Rashford’s £50m price tag in the mix.

“It’s a deal that could suit both clubs,” a source told The Sun. “United need a proven No. 9, and Villa fancy Rashford’s flair.”

United’s attack is dire—37 league goals, worse than all but the bottom three—and Joshua Zirkzee’s season-ending injury leaves Rasmus Højlund as the lone striker, with £52m exit talk swirling.

Watkins, who netted in England’s 2-0 win over Finland last month, could be the answer, fitting Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 alongside targets like Lyon’s Rayan Cherki (£25m).

Ratcliffe’s £310m summer plan, including Goncalo Inacio and Matheus Cunha, hinges on sales, and Rashford’s wage off the books would free up millions.

Fans on X are torn: @UtdDistrict posted, “Watkins for Rashford? Sign me up—Ollie’s a machine!” But @RedDevilLoyal cried, “Rashy’s one of us—don’t do this!”

Rio Ferdinand’s plea to keep Bruno Fernandes underscores the need for stars, but Rashford’s form—slammed as “lazy” by Jamie Carragher—makes him expendable.

Villa’s Champions League pull could tempt Rashford, though his camp insists he’s “focused” on United, per Sky Sports.

With the Manchester City derby looming on April 20 and Bilbao in the Europa League semi-finals, Amorim needs a spark.

Swapping Rashford for Watkins could be the bold move to silence doubters and give United’s rebuild the firepower it craves. Ratcliffe’s watching—will he pull the trigger?