Under one condition, Manchester United will sign Watkins for £40 million! Scott is abandoned, and the Real Madrid stars remain difficult to obtain.

Though Manchester United has spent little this summer, it hasn't prevented all sorts of speculation connecting them with superstars, including Real Madrid's Aurélien Tchouaméni and Vinícius Jr., as well as Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins. In reality, any of these transfers would be highly challenging and would demand fulfilling demanding prerequisites.

Manchester United has already signed midfielder Youri Tielemans from Villa Park for £35 million, and Watkins has been linked with the Red Devils this week. According to British media, Sir Jim Ratcliffe will not easily bring in a new attacker unless Joshua Zirkzee and Marcus Rashford are successfully transferred, only then will the INEOS management team consider strengthening the forward line.

At least one of Zirkzee or Rashford must be sold before Watkins becomes a realistic target; otherwise, there is absolutely no chance. Additionally, if Aston Villa can successfully sign Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson, negotiations for Watkins would be simpler, and the price of the English striker might drop to £40 million. Villa will not consider a lower offer; Fenerbahçe's £30 million bid has already been directly rejected.

The 30-year-old Watkins has a consistent goal-scoring record in the Premier League, with 16, 16, 19, 15, 11, and 14 goals in his six seasons in England's top flight. Moreover, he is versatile, capable of playing as a central striker or on either wing.

Of course, if given the choice, Watkins' dream is to join Arsenal, not Manchester United. During his time at Brentford, he made it clear: "I am an Arsenal fan, and Henry is my idol. Watching him play was incredible. He has been my idol since I was young."

Manchester United's progress in signing midfielders will also affect the budget for other positions. If the third midfield signing is not too expensive, then Ratcliffe will have more funds for forwards and full-backs. According to the BBC's Simon Stone, although United believes Real Madrid might sign Rodri from Manchester City, making a deal for Tchouaméni still possible.

However, Tchouaméni's expected wages and potential transfer fee are completely at odds with United's strategy to control costs. Of course, that doesn't stop European media from linking him with United, as it draws attention. Not only Tchouaméni, but there are even rumors that United is interested in Bernabéu's Brazilian winger Vinícius Jr.! Premier League champions Arsenal are believed to be the most interested in Vinícius.

If any Manchester United fan fantasizes that Ratcliffe will sign Vinícius, they only need to look at one statistic: Vinícius' fixed weekly wage at Real Madrid exceeds €480,000, plus a €240,000 bonus clause, making his potential weekly earnings over €720,000!

The possibility of Manchester United signing Vinícius is zero, and the chance of bringing in Tchouaméni is also quite slim. Additionally, the club has completely abandoned the deal for 22-year-old English midfielder Alex Scott, because Ratcliffe believes his fair price is only £40 million, but Bournemouth will not sell for less than £70 million.

According to the Daily Mirror, Manchester United is unwilling to meet Bournemouth's asking price and will continue to look for other targets. This is also because Scott does not prefer a move to Old Trafford; he favors London clubs, either Chelsea or Premier League champions Arsenal. Scott's agent has already negotiated with several clubs, and he will decide his future within the next two weeks.