Napoli manager Antonio Conte is trying to prevent an Aston Villa target from joining Unai Emery’s side this summer as the Italian eyes a deal.
Unai Emery has overseen a lot of change at Aston Villa this summer, with seven players signed.
That has not come without sales, though, with Douglas Luiz and Moussa Diaby the two high-profile departures and Cameron Archer’s move to Southampton the latest.
A campaign in which Villa will compete in the Champions League has started well with a 2-1 win over West Ham that saw Amadou Onana and Jhon Duran get on the scoresheet.
The latter has been constantly linked with a move away from the club since January which had led to Villa exploring striker options, but one such target has now been personally told not to make the move to Villa Park by Antonio Conte.
- READ MORE: Jhon Duran posts a brilliant Instagram message after scoring winner for Aston Villa at West Ham
Antonio Conte pleads with Romelu Lukaku not to join Aston Villa
With Duran heavily linked with a move to West Ham this summer, the irony of his winner at the London Stadium will not have been lost on supporters.
Having been handed the number nine shirt and with a match-winning contribution on Saturday, it seems that Duran may now be much more likely to be a Villa player come the end of the transfer window.
- READ MORE: Tim Sherwood reacts to Jhon Duran’s winner, states who he should play for Aston Villa or West Ham
However, this did not look the case at the start of August and reports claimed Villa had agreed a fee to sign Romelu Lukaku; the 31-year-old who is still owned by Chelsea.
It has now emerged that Napoli manager Conte intervened to convince the striker not to make the move to Villa, assuring him that he will sign him for the Naples club this summer.
That is according to Calcio Napoli 24, who claim that ‘in order to prevent Lukaku’s purchase’ Conte told the striker not to join Villa and told the Belgian that he would instead take him to Napoli.
Keeping Jhon Duran better for Aston Villa than signing Lukaku
Conte’s desperation to sign Lukaku stems from the pair’s successful time together at Inter Milan.
The former Manchester United forward spent last season on loan at Roma where he scored 21 goals in all competitions.
Lukaku was described by United legend Andy Cole as “top drawer” in 2018 for his start to life at Old Trafford before things turned sour.
However, if Duran commits to staying at Villa he is surely a better option than an ageing Lukaku for Emery.
- READ MORE: Aston Villa fans all in total agreement as Romelu Lukaku rumour emerges, they have one clear verdict
Lukaku has been on a steady decline for a while, whereas Duran is just 20 and will only get better.
The Colombian is far more aggressive and mobile than Lukaku and looked to have a real fire in his belly against West Ham; something that it is up for debate whether Lukaku still has at this stage of his career.
Provided Emery can tame Duran this season, Conte may well have done Villa a massive favour.
