Aston Villa have turned down a substantial £57 million bid from West Ham United for their promising striker, Jhon Duran. The Midlands club values the 21-year-old Colombian significantly higher, with sources suggesting a price tag exceeding £70 million. This rejection highlights Aston Villa's intent to retain Duran, despite West Ham's long-standing interest and recent efforts to secure his talents.
West Ham's pursuit of Duran is driven by their new manager, Graham Potter, who admires the striker's potential. Duran, who recently extended his contract with Aston Villa until 2030, has become a focal point in discussions surrounding Premier League transfers. His recent performances have been impressive, scoring seven goals in 19 league appearances this season, and a total of 12 across all competitions since joining from MLS side Chicago Fire in January 2023.
"West Ham are testing the waters with this bid. Clearly they believe an amount of money close to that submission would be enough to, at the very least, tempt Villa to the negotiation table." – Laura Hunter
Despite predominantly being used as a substitute, with only seven starts in his 54 league appearances for Villa, Duran's potential is evident. Aston Villa manager Unai Emery favors Ollie Watkins as his primary forward, leaving Duran eager for more playing time. This desire for increased minutes could play a role in future negotiations or decisions regarding his career trajectory.
"The question remains whether 602 minutes of Premier League football is really enough to sustain Duran's growing appetite. This is a striker capable of leading the line at a number of top clubs, and currently has his pathway blocked by the reliability and experience of Watkins." – Laura Hunter
West Ham's interest is not new; they attempted to acquire Duran during the summer transfer window but failed to meet Aston Villa's valuation. The recent bid seems to be another effort to lure the talented forward away from Villa Park. The speculation around Duran's future intensified after he showcased an "Irons" sign on an Instagram live session, acknowledging West Ham's earlier interest. However, since then, he has remained committed to proving his value at Villa.
"It was not long ago that Duran was naively throwing up an 'Irons' sign on Instagram live after hearing of the Londoners' summer interest. He swiftly reneged on that, and has since proved his value to Villa with 12 goals across all competitions." – Laura Hunter
Ollie Watkins himself advocates for a partnership with Duran on the field, as expressed after Aston Villa's recent draw with Arsenal. However, Unai Emery appears hesitant to deploy both forwards simultaneously, which could influence future strategic decisions regarding Duran's role in the team.
"Ollie Watkins believes the pair can play together – he said so after Villa's draw with Arsenal on Saturday. The man to convince, however, is Unai Emery, who appears reluctant to start Watkins and Duran as a trusted partnership." – Laura Hunter
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