Watkins' comments on Mbeumo speaks volumes ahead of potential Man Utd reunion

Manchester United have made Ollie Watkins their top target in attack which could reunite him with Bryan Mbeumo after their success together in their Brentford days

Ollie Watkins owes a huge part of his emergence to the partnership he forged with Bryan Mbeumo at Brentford with the pair now potentially reuniting at Manchester United as the club continue their summer recruitment.

Watkins remains at Aston Villa whilst Mbeumo recently made the switch to the Red Devils, but both men formed part of a fearsome trio back during their Brentford days when the Bees were aiming to become a Premier League outfit.

Said Benrahma was also part the attack but it was only Mbeumo who stayed with Brentford for the long haul. Watkins' goals saw Villa come calling whilst Benrahma headed to West Ham and is now in Saudi Arabia.

The season they spent together in the Championship the trio scored 59 times between them as Brentford made it to the play-off final. This year just passed Mbeumo had a career-best year at Brentford and Watkins, who endured a frustrating season at Villa Park, came up with 17 goals.

United are now eyeing a move for Watkins to further bolster their attack and the Englishman previously admitted he would love to have continued playing with Mbeumo.

He said back in the Brentford days: "I feel like coming from the bottom makes you hungry and you are always striving for more, so I am not surprised these two (Mbeumo and Benrahma) have been in the lower leagues and worked their way to the top and hopefully we can keep going up together."

United are stepping up their bid to sign a striker before the start of the new season – with Watkins now their first-choice target as reported by Mirror Football. The United bosses believe that a compromise figure of between £40million-£45m can be agreed with Villa, who have valued the England international at £60m.

As well as Watkins, United are keeping track on RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko situation but the Bundesliga club want around £70m for him and Newcastle are the most likely destination the 22-year-old Slovenian as they weigh up replacements for Alexander Isak.

The Red Devils want a proven goalscorer and throughout the summer United have adopted a policy of signing players who are used to the Premier League with Mbeumo's signing coming after they had also landed Matheus Cunha from Wolves.