Chelsea is apparently showing increased interest in Jhon Duran, who destroyed Bayern Munich in Europe, since Aston Villa has placed a huge price tag on him.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Duran has been in exceptional form this season, with his stock continuing to rise with each passing game. The 20-year-old Colombian forward delivered a stunning display on Wednesday, scoring the only goal in a 1-0 victory over the Bavarians in the Champions League, which has attracted further attention from top clubs, including the London outfit
THE LARGER IMAGE Duran’s transfer fee is reportedly set by Villa at a minimum of £80 million ($105 million), with the possibility of an increase to £100 million ($131 million) should he continue to put up strong performances, according to TEAMtalk. The attacker is unwilling to leave Unai Emery, and the team has already turned down multiple bids for the Colombian.
Chelsea had talks about a possible move with Aston Villa during the summer, but those negotiations eventually came to a standstill as the Blues turned their attention to signing Victor Osimhen of Napoli. The forward was also targeted by West Ham, and negotiations are said to have advanced to the point where Duran thought he was about to sign with the London team.
WERE YOU AWARENESS? Villa was able to hold onto Duran despite interest from Premier League competitors, in part because of the long-term contract he signed with the team, which extends until 2028. Villa will have an advantageous negotiating position going forward because they are not obligated to sell the player. Despite playing just 28% of Aston Villa’s available minutes in the Premier League, Duran has already scored four goals, which is an impressive goal-to-minute ratio when compared to Erling Haaland of Manchester City.
WHAT IS DURAN’S NEXT? With the January transfer window drawing near, there will inevitably be more conjecture regarding Duran’s future. Insiders claim that a January transfer is possible, but Villa’s high asking price will need to be met by any team seeking to sign the Colombian international. Duran is still a key component of Unai Emery’s plans for the time being, and he will return to action on Sunday in the Premier League against Manchester United.