Aston Villa could re-enter the market to search for a replacement for Jhon Duran, with one target standing out for his quality.
Unai Emery and Monchi have already overseen eight market moves at Aston Villa this summer.
Three departures and five arrivals have got the ball rolling at Bodymoor Heath, with plenty more movement expected to come before deadline day.
The latest saga surrounding the club is the future of Jhon Duran, who looks set to leave Villa ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Aston Villa could replace Jhon Duran with Joao Felix
On Tuesday, it was announced that West Ham had submitted an offer for Duran, whose future at Villa is uncertain.
The 20-year-old has seen himself go from hero to zero at Villa in recent weeks, making his objective to leave the club known.
First, it was Chelsea who captured the Colombian’s eye, and now it seems to be West Ham, who are hoping to sign the striker for around £35m.
Speculation linking Duran away from Villa isn’t a surprise however, it does come at an interesting time given one target the Midlands club are rumoured to be eyeing.
Aston Villa have made a positive step in their pursuit of Joao Felix, as reported in Spain, as the 24-year-old looks for a new venture away from Atletico Madrid.
Given how highly-rated the Portugal international is and how much he has to offer so early into his career, capturing the versatile forward could provide Emery with an instant successor to Duran.
Imagine Felix and Ollie Watkins
Felix was once lauded as ‘special’ by Alvaro Morata, who commended working in a strike force with the Portuguese gem at Atletico.
Given the former Chelsea loanee’s flexibility in attack, he could be the ideal capture for Emery at Villa, considering how he could gel with Ollie Watkins.
The Villa boss trialled the combination of Watkins and Duran together very few times over the 2023/24 campaign, most notably in the first half against West Ham back in March.
While Duran is an exemplary talent on his day, Felix could offer a more vast skill set to complement Watkins, with goalscoring only a fraction of his playing style.
The Atletico outsider can be utilised on the flank anywhere around the number nine role, with a creative eye for playmaking and a range of fluidity that few players can offer.
In Watkins, Emery has a seasoned goalscorer who also has such strengths to his game, with Felix’s quality having the potential to take the Englishman to the next level.
While Duran’s attitude will want to be offloaded promptly, his quality deserves a second thought, with a player such as Felix having the capacity to provide not only cover, but an upgrade on the Colombian.
