In a recent report, journalist Pete O’Rourke offered an update on West Ham United and their pursuit of Aston Villa ace Jhon Duran. It is understood that a deal has stalled as the Hammers are unwilling to spend north of £30m to acquire the services of the Colombia international this summer.
Duran’s Impressive Rise At Villa Park
Duran caught the eye at times with his performances as the focal point of Aston Villa’s attack in the previous campaign. The Colombian talent banged in eight goals in 37 matches for the Villans last season in all competitions.
The Medellin-born talent made most of his appearances off the bench which explains why averaged 0.9 shots, 0.2 key passes and 0.1 dribbles per game in the Premier League. He was a bit untidy with his ball distribution after completing 71.1% of his attempted passes in the English top tier (stats via whoscored).
His current deal at Villa Park will run out in the summer of 2028 which could make it difficult for West Ham to get a deal done for him this off-season.
What Should West Ham United Boss Julen Lopetegui Do With Regards To Duran?
Duran can find a yard of space for himself to get a few strikes in at goal. He can be a good finisher in the final third when he is playing with confidence on the pitch. Standing at 1.85m, Duran can be a real handful for the opposition defenders.
The Colombian talent can chip in by scoring a few important goals for his team. However, he has to figure out a way to improve his link-up play in the opposition half. Plus, the talented striker is still quite raw and would need time to prove his worth as a consistent performer at the highest level.
We can expect Duran to add more firepower to West Ham head coach Julen Lopetegui’s attack. At 20, he has the potential to be a regular starter at the London Stadium over the next decade.
Therefore, Lopetegui would be wise to step up his efforts to sign the Colombian whizkid before the end of this transfer window. Duran already knows the Premier League well and won’t take much time to settle into life at the East London club.
