Sheffield United Opinion: Why the Blades should go all out for Ollie Watkins?
According to a report from the Sky Sports, Sheffield United are interested in signing Brentford star, Ollie Watkins.
Ollie Watkins has been one of many youngsters to join Brentford and go on to prove themselves at Championship level. The 23-year-old joined from Exeter City in 2017 and has enjoyed two solid seasons at Griffin Park. He scored 12 goals and supplied eight assists, helping Brentford achieve a top-half finish under Thomas Frank.
The Bees will be hoping to keep Watkins this summer and will be hoping that they can fend off Premier League interest once again. Sheffield United are keen to sign the dynamic forward but will face competition from Southampton and Crystal Palace, adds the report.
Given the likes of Southampton and Crystal Palace are interested, Sheffield United will have an uphill task to persuade Watkins in joining them. But United manager Chris Wilder must leave no stone unturned for the 23-year-old’s pursuit.
Wilder is keen to strengthen his squad as they prepare for their first season back in the Premier League since 2007. The Blades will need to have a spectacular season to stay up at the end of the next season. Achieving safety in the top-flight will be Wilder and company’s first and foremost priority and for that, United will need proper strengthening in the summer.
The need of a goalscoring forward is vital at Bramall Lane, with Wilder having only two recognised centre-forwards in Billy Sharp and David McGoldrick. Kieran Dowell has returned back to his parent club Everton following the expiry of his loan spell, which leaves Mark Duffy as the only creative midfielder in the squad. Duffy is set to turn 34 in October and isn’t likely to cope up with the rigorous demands of the Premier League.
Thus, signing Ollie Watkins would make a lot of sense for the newly-promoted Blades. Watkins is a versatile forward player, who is predominantly a right-winger, but he can play on the other side, as an attacking midfielder and as a centre-forward as well. He has good dribbling skills on the ball to beat defenders and possesses really solid pace to stretch the rearguard.
The 23-year-old is decent in the air and has a knack of popping up at the right place and at the right time to find the net. However, Watkins can be frustrating at times due to his end product and tendency to hold onto the ball for far too long.
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While that can be worked and improved upon in due course of time, the qualities the former Exeter man possesses on the ball makes him a perfect fit for Wilder’s United.
Verdict
It is a no-brainer that Sheffield United would do themselves a world of good if they manage to sign Watkins this summer.
