Aston Villa will advance in their pursuit of a striker if Jhon Duran is sold in this window.
Jhon Duran’s future at Aston Villa is the most pressing issue that needs resolving in this transfer window.
Unai Emery is aware that the towering Colombian needs game time and has become frustrated with minutes from the bench due to Ollie Watkins’ form.
As a result, West Ham United and Chelsea have approached a deal for the 20-year-old.
While the Hammers saw their loan offer with an option to buy rejected, the Blues are said to be putting Duran under careful consideration before the January deadline.
Villa are still in the market for additions to their forward line themselves and a deal for Middlesbrough’s Morgan Rogers is very much a work in progress, although that remains a different situation as he’s regarded as a winger.
Rogers is a player Emery is keen on signing as he feels he can develop him into a quality Premier League talent.
But first, resolving Duran’s future at Villa Park is the most important and until then, the club are unable to move in their pursuit of a back-up striker.
Aston Villa can only move for a striker if Jhon Duran is sold
According to GiveMeSport’s Neil Moxey, Duran ‘holds the key’ to Villa advancing their plans for a striker swoop during the next week.
It is claimed Emery needs to be 100 per cent confident he can move the £18 million man on before finding a replacement with the Spaniard finding himself in a difficult position.
Watkins, of course, is irreplaceable as Villa’s focal point, but it could be disastrous if they could go into the remainder of the season without a back-up striker.
Does Unai Emery need to sign a striker?
A difficult predicament has plagued Emery throughout this window.
Although he’s happy to have Duran as a backup option, the youngster is frustrated by the amount of minutes he’s featured for and that is where the problem lies.
Watkins will always be his number one option and even if Villa do sell Duran, it could be difficult to persuade a striker to settle for being an understudy to the Englishman.
In January, the strikers normally on the move are the ones searching for regular game time and that’s something Emery can’t promise.
Of course, acquiring a world-class striker could change that narrative altogether and provide an alternative option to Watkins.
But with the added issues of FFP, Villa are unable to spend big and that is why the club are looking at a cheaper option.
It will be interesting whether Duran departs and how the narrative plays on from there.
