West Ham United are considering a fresh bid for Jhon Duran as Aston Villa stand firm on their £40m valuation, according to the Evening Standard.
Writing on their website (26 July), Duran is open to moving to West Ham but the deal hinges on the club returning with an improved offer for the striker.
The Villains rejected a bid worth over £30m and 18-year-old midfielder Lewis Orford for Duran and will sell for no less than £40m.
Will West Ham United meet Aston Villa’s valuation of Duran?
The 20-year-old scored eight goals in 37 appearances in all competitions last season, mostly from the bench.
Duran has struggled to break into the first team at Villa Park following his move from the Chicago Fire in January 2023, and £40m is steep for a player with only a year-and-a-half of Premier League experience.
He has spent his time at Villa Park as back-up to Ollie Watkins and seems determined to swap the Claret and Blue of Birmingham for the Claret and Blue of London for regular first-team football.
Julen Lopetegui desperately needs a striker with Danny Ings and Michael Antonio the only senior options at the club, and Villa are using this to their advantage in the negotiations for Duran.
He recently traveled with the Colombia squad for the Copa America but managed only 13 minutes of action in a cameo against Costa Rica.
Duran has been the strongest link for the Hammers in their search for a striker since Serhou Guirassy decided to move to Borussia Dortmund from Stuttgart, but there could be more sensible options on the market for £40m.
The Colombian has shown promise at Villa and scored a brace against Liverpool at the end of last season, but whether he can be a consistent performer in the Premier League remains to be seen.
Lopetegui has identified him as the man to lead the line at the London Stadium and West Ham fans will hope he can justify what will be a £40m price tag.
