Aston Villa’s transfer business in the summer was a mixed bag, earning credit and criticism for their decision-making in equal measure.
Whilst not signing a centre-back is looking costly for Aston Villa, especially given the poor form of Diego Carlos, they were successful elsewhere.
Villa were almost forced into selling midfielder Douglas Luiz to comply with PSR regulations, and while the £40 million received is proving to be a correct decision, he wasn’t the only key player who left.
Unai Emery cashed in on record signing Moussa Diaby, who joined Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad for around £50 million while academy star Omari Kellyman joined Chelsea for £19 million.
Luiz, Diaby and Kellyman were the most notable sales out of Villa Park, and they weren’t the only first-team stars who could have departed.
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Jhon Duran could have left Aston Villa for £40 million this summer
Jhon Duran was the subject of transfer interest from Chelsea and West Ham during the summer.
Chelsea were the first to show admiration for the 20-year-old but weren’t prepared to meet Aston Villa’s £40 million valuation of Duran while West Ham tried, and failed, to land the talented striker.
Despite Duran’s childish antics in pre-season that left Villa fans angered, the Colombian has turned a corner since scoring the winner over the Hammers on the opening day.
Since then, the 2003-born forward has totalled four goals from six substitute appearances in the Premier League while netting in a start against Wycombe Wanderers.
Emery was understandably delighted when Duran stayed and it’s proving to be the correct decision as letting one of Europe’s best young forwards leave for £40 million would have been a travesty.
That is a sentiment shared by TNT Sports commentator Darren Fletcher, who questioned how the ‘special’ Villa striker remained at the club despite being available for £40m.
“The goal he’d scored at the weekend against Everton is astonishing in terms of, again, the whip and bend he gets on that,” Fletcher said on the Claret & Blue podcast.
“I love him. The question I’ve got in my mind, if he was really available for 40 million quid in the summer, how on earth is he still at Aston Villa?”
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Jhon Duran could be worth £100m in the future
Duran is the complete striker; he’s quick, tall, strong, great in the air and is an exceptional finisher.
The youngster can also produce the spectacular to drag his team through a difficult period, just like he did with a thunderbolt late on against Everton.
Looking back on Villa’s valuation, receiving £40 million for Duran would have been regarded as a decent bit of business in August, but now, it’s become clear that the Colombian is worth far more than that.
To produce a better goal-per-minute ratio than Haaland while predominantly coming off the bench speaks volumes of his insane talent.
And if he continues on his current trajectory, it won’t be long before Duran is worth upwards of £100m, as that would reflect his talent and potential.
