Jhon Duran is one of the hottest prospects in the world after making an electric start to the season for Aston Villa.
Duran’s efficiency in front of goal has been a joy to watch. Despite being restricted to substitute appearances, with Ollie Watkins preferred to start, the 20-year-old has still scored four goals in seven Premier League matches.
On Sunday, it was a surprise to many that Duran didn’t score the winner after replacing Watkins off the bench as Aston Villa played out a 0-0 draw against Manchester United.
Since remaining at Villa Park in the summer – despite attracting interest from as many as 40 clubs – the Colombian’s stock has risen dramatically.
Emery thinks Duran is one of the best strikers in the world and the Spaniard was desperate to keep him in the summer after signing him for £14.75m from Chicago Fire in January 2023.
Duran has since signed a new long-term contract at Aston Villa till 2030, with many speculating whether a release clause was inserted in his contract.
Ally McCoist thinks Jhon Duran is only worth £40 million
While it hasn’t emerged whether Duran agreed to a release clause in his new deal, it would be a surprise if Villa didn’t protect their asset by inserting a value in his contract.
In the summer, Aston Villa reportedly set a £40 million asking price on Duran and Chelsea were one of the clubs unwilling to pay that.
That valuation is now looking very silly as the Colombian powerhouse is arguably one of, if not, the best striker aged 21 and under in the world.
His value should therefore reflect his talent and potential, which suggests he should be worth upwards of a triple figure sum, but Ally McCoist doesn’t think so.
Speaking on talkSPORT, McCoist believes Duran is only worth £40 million. The legendary Scotsman said: “Oh, dear me. He’s worth what somebody would pay for him. He is probably worth £40 million. He has looked tremendous coming off the bench.”
McCoist’s words on Duran, labelling the forward ‘tremendous’, perhaps don’t reflect the price tag he’s set on the youngster, with the Scotsman also having his say on the Watkins and Duran debate.
Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran strike partnership
The biggest selection dilemma facing Emery at the moment is whether to start Watkins and Duran together.
That is the strike force Villa fans are craving in the starting XI and the return of Boubacar Kamara in midfield could allow the deadly duo to feature alongside each other.
McCoist doesn’t believe Emery will rip up the system to get them both in the side, though, and he believes Watkins should continue as a lone forward.
He added: “You can argue, I mean, Ollie Watkins works tirelessly, probably tires out the defenders he is playing against, and it is a Catch-22 situation for Unai Emery because he is looking at the situation.
“For him to play the two of them, which people will obviously clamour for, a lot of people will, he will have to change the set-up, I would think, and I am not sure he will want to do that. It’s an interesting conversation to have. At this moment in time, I am actually still starting with Olly Watkins up front.”
Currently, the dynamic of starting with Watkins and bringing Duran on in the second half is a formula that has mostly worked, and Emery will see no reason to change it.
