Aston Villa are now ‘open’ to letting striker Jhon Duran depart the club this month.
Aston Villa have got a lot of things right in the transfer market in recent arrivals. The arrival of Pau Torres, Boubacar Kamara and Douglas Luiz, in particular, speaks volumes about how good their recruitment has been.
For all of the success stories, there are always a few villains thrown into the mix and Jhon Duran is certainly placed into the latter category.
Duran became the second most expensive MLS export, behind only Newcastle’s Miguel Almiron, when he joined from Chicago Fire for £18 million in January 2023.
The 19-year-old was never expected to arrive as the finished article. As a young striker, who had never played in the Premier League before, it was always going to take him to adapt.
After a year at the club, though, the 20-year-old has failed to make the desired impact and although that is down to the sensational form of Ollie Watkins, he’s also come under scrutiny for his attitude.
It has been hinted that off-field issues have impacted his chances of featuring more. He’s not always seen eye-to-eye with Unai Emery and is said to be frustrated at the decisions to substitute him at various points during Villa’s European season.
Ultimately, Duran hasn’t deserved the chance to earn more game time and Villa are now open to letting him move on.
Aston Villa are open to letting Jhon Duran leave
Duran, who is yet to start in the Premier League this term, could depart in this window.
The towering Colombian has six months left on his current contract, so Villa can either renew it or let him depart amid interest from Chelsea.
Speaking on the Ranks FC Podcast, Dean Jones believes that the club are more likely to sell him on as opposed to giving him a new deal.
He said: “I have got the reading of they open to losing Duran. What I can’t understand why Chelsea would want a forward who is more erratic than Nicolas Jackson and more raw.
“They can’t be real. I cannot believe Chelsea’s way on from Armando Broja would be to get a worse version of Nicolas Jackson.”
If he does stay beyond this window, Duran faces a defining six months at Villa Park, however, the interest in him is remarkably becoming greater.
Chelsea’s interest in Duran intensifies
After rejecting a loan approach from West Ham with an option to buy, it’s Chelsea who are now desperate to sign the striker.
According to journalist Guillermo Arango, the Blues’ interest in Duran is “intensifying”, though it is claimed it won’t be easy for them to strike a deal after watching the Hammers try and fail.
Chelsea’s interest, as previously explained by Jones, is bizarre.
They want to sign a striker who would be an upgrade on Nicolas Jackson, but Duran – who has only scored two goals in his Premier League career – is a downgrade.
Whatever happens in this window, the £30k-a-week marksman must improve his attitude and performance levels if he is to become a top striker.
