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·19 January 2024

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Aston Villa have 'always wanted to keep' Jhon Duran at the club

Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran has been linked with a move away from Villa Park this winter.

Highlights

Aston Villa have turned down an offer from Italy to sell striker Jhon Duran as they want to keep the centre-forward at Villa Park.
The Colombian could be frustrated with his lack of game time, and has reportedly fallen fould of head coach Unai Emery.
The Villans are still interested in signing Morgan Rogers from Middlesbrough, but the Championship outfit are determined to keep him.

Aston Villa have always wanted to keep striker Jhon Duran at Villa Park during the 2024 winter window, as transfer expert Fabrizio Romano exclusively reveals to GIVEMESPORT that the club turned down an approach from Italy for the centre-forward’s services.

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Unai Emery has enjoyed an excellent 2023/24 campaign with the Villans and could use the winter transfer window to bolster his side’s chances of qualifying for the 2024/25 Champions League.

Villa have also secured their passage to the FA Cup Fourth Round and last-16 of the Europa Conference League, indicating they may need reinforcements to battle on three fronts. Duran has been a valuable squad player for Emery’s side, but the striker could be frustrated at his lack of minutes in the first-team, which have diminished owing to the side’s success.

Duran’s frustrations at Aston Villa

Aston Villa confirmed the signing of Duran from Major League Soccer outfit Chicago Fire in January 2023 in a deal worth £18m. The striker became Emery’s second addition following his appointment at Villa Park in the latter stages of 2022. He would replace Danny Ings, who was sold to West Ham United in the same transfer window.

The Villans would secure a seventh-placed Premier League finish at the end of the 2022/23 season, confirming their place in this term’s Europa Conference League. Villa have reached new heights during the 2023/24 campaign. They are in the top four and well in the race to secure Champions League football next term. A lot of the Villans’ success is down to the form of top-scorer Ollie Watkins, who has hit the back of the net 14 times and registered ten assists in 29 appearances this season.

Unsurprisingly, Duran hasn’t been afforded much game time, which has frustrated the eight-cap Colombia international. In November 2023, Football Insider claimed that the centre-forward had ‘fallen foul’ of Emery, who has reportedly questioned his attitude on several occasions. The same report suggested that the 20-year-old could depart Villa Park on loan until the end of the 2023/24 season. According to various sources, West Ham have seen Villa rebuff a loan with an option to buy offer for Duran.

Meanwhile, The Telegraph's Matt Law reports that Chelsea could consider a pre-deadline move for Duran. The South American's name is coming under careful consideration at Stamford Bridge, as the Blues look to bolster their attacking options. However, The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell reports that the Villans are confident Duran will remain at Villa Park this month, after sustaining a hamstring injury.

Transfer insider Dean Jones has recently suggested to GIVEMESPORT (19th January) that the Villans could consider a Duran departure if they signed another centre-forward before the end of the winter transfer window. However, with just days remaining of the market, Duran remains at Villa Park with no out-and-out No. 9 options on the horizon.

Fabrizio Romano - There has never been an ‘official bid’ from England for Duran

Romano has claimed that Aston Villa received a “real proposal” from Italy to sell Duran this winter, but the West Midlands outfit declined. The Italian journalist reveals that no English club has submitted a formal proposal to sign the striker. Romano told GIVEMESPORT:

“I'm hearing that a real proposal came from Italy for Duran to make a move happen, and Aston Villa said no. From what I heard, there have been some contacts from England but never an official bid for Duran. I think Villa's absolute priority will be to keep some of their players, like Duran. They had some proposals and opportunities for a loan deal for Duran, but they always wanted to keep the player at the club. So, I think this is Villa's real focus now.”

Aston Villa transfer news on Morgan Rogers talks

Like many other Premier League clubs, Aston Villa are yet to make a first-team signing during the 2024 winter transfer window and are keen to remain within the division’s profit and sustainability rules. The Villans have confirmed the signing of Red Star Belgrade right-back Kosta Nedeljkovic, but he will spend the remainder of the 2023/24 season on loan at his former club.

However, Villa are still interested in signing Middlesbrough forward Morgan Rogers before the end of the current market. Romano has reported that the one-time European Cup winners have had two offers for the 21-year-old already rejected by the Championship outfit. Middlesbrough are ‘adamant’ that Rogers will not leave The Riverside Stadium for less than his full value, as the Teeside club aim to keep him in their bid for promotion to the Premier League.

Meanwhile, Villa midfielder Leander Dendoncker is set to move on loan to Napoli for the remainder of the season. The Serie A champions will have a buy option of €9m (£7.7m) in June, with the Belgium international often being used as a substitute by Emery at Villa Park.