Luis Diaz scout ‘chases’ compatriot as Chelsea battle Liverpool ahead of €10m offers | OneFootball

Icon: Football365

Football365

·3 October 2022

Luis Diaz scout ‘chases’ compatriot as Chelsea battle Liverpool ahead of €10m offers

Article image:Luis Diaz scout ‘chases’ compatriot as Chelsea battle Liverpool ahead of €10m offers

Liverpool are reportedly in the running with Chelsea to sign Colombia international Jhon Duran.

Duran joined Chicago Fire in January from Envigado for £1.5m and has eight goals and six assists in 27 appearances for the MLS side.


OneFootball Videos


The 18-year-old made his senior debut for Colombia in September, coming on at half-time for Radamel Falcao in the 4-1 win over Guatemala, and also featured in the 3-2 win over Mexico.

Very much a centre-forward, Duran plays alongside former Liverpool star Xherdan Shaqiri for Chicago and impressed last time out, scoring two fine goals to help his side to a 3-2 win over Cincinnati.

Fire coach Ezra Hendrickson lauded the Colombian after the game, describing him as a “player that, once he gets it all together, he can be a really, really special player. He has all the tools.”

And it’s quite possible Liverpool scouts were in attendance according to journalist Pipe Sierra, who was hot on the details of Liverpool’s move for Luis Diaz back in January.

He tweeted: “The same #Liverpool scout who followed Luis Díaz has gone to see Jhon Jáder Durán (18). ‘The Reds’ already know the conditions and that for €10M #ChicagoFire would let the Colombian go”.

Chelsea, Lille, Frankfurt and PSV Eindhoven were all named by Sierra as other interested parties, and his claims were backed up by American reporter Tom Bogert.

Bogert tweeted: “Big clubs in Europe are following Chicago Fire wonderkid Jhon Duran. Reports say Liverpool, Chelsea in the chase. Expecting $10m+ offers to come as soon as this winter for the 18 y/o. Fire signed Duran for up to $2.5m. Made his Colombia debut last week”.

Should Liverpool sign Duran the teenager would be competing for a place with Darwin Nunez, who arrived at Anfield from Benfica for £85m.

His first season hasn’t gone entirely to plan with just two goals so far, but manager Jurgen Klopp insists he and his staff are “really calm” about the situation and told Nunez as much.

“Only yesterday we had a long talk – with Pep Lijnders (assistant manager) because my Portuguese is still not better – and we just told him we are really calm,” Klopp said.

“It’s really important in our situation that he isn’t looking like he is worrying or whatever.

“The team is not flying, and that makes it not easier for a striker, especially not for a finisher.

“It’s not that we aren’t creating chances, but it’s not like everything is clicking and we put in one player and he finishes our situation off.

“That’s not our situation at the moment as much as I wish it would be. That’s all.”

Ad

Share

Advertisement

View publisher imprint