Jhon Duran twist: West Ham United ’embarrassing’ as Aston Villa claim made. Darren Bent has labelled West Ham United’s most recent bid for Aston Villa star Jhon Duran as “embarrassing”.
According to Graeme Bailey, the Hammers submitted a new bid for the 20-year-old striker, one that exceeded the £30million deal, plus a young player, offered during the summer transfer window [Fabrizio Romano].
Since his failed move to the London Stadium, Duran has scored 12 goals in all competitions while Julen Lopetegui and Graham Potter have been left to work with Niclas Fullkrug and Danny Ings.
Speaking live via talkSPORT [14 January, 4:37pm], Andy Goldstein said: “They offered £35million and Aston Villa wanted £40million, and now they’ve gone back going, ‘Do you remember that bid we put in?
Bent simply said: “Yeah, it’s embarrassing,” as Goldstein continued: “Does Villa’s valuation of £60million feel a bit cheap? I think it does.
Bent replied: “Someone will pay it. If he continues at the rate he’s going, he’s looking really good. He had a bit of a malfunction against Newcastle, losing his head a bit after being sent off for studding someone in the back.
“Before that, he looked every bit as good of a player we thought he’d be. £60million is nothing – someone will pay that.”
West Ham United to finally strike deal for Jhon Duran?
Potter is in desperate of a new striker before the winter transfer window slams shut next month, with Michail Antonio recovering from a car crash and Fullkrug suffering a new setback.
While Danny Ings is still in the squad, he struggled to make many appearances under Lopetegui and seems to have remained at the bottom of the pecking order, at least until the newest injury blow.
David Sullivan was happy to open his pockets during the summer transfer window, with numerous new faces walking through the London Stadium doors, but Duran was not one of those players.
For whatever unknown reason, the Hammers refused to budge by just a few million in order to secure the star striker’s signature, a decision which has been heavily criticised by the supporters.
Even playing as a backup to Ollie Watkins, Duran has seven Premier League goals, having only started four of his 18 appearances so far, with five more goals coming in all competitions.
Tim Steidten surely regrets not sealing the transfer in the last window.
In other West Ham news, a European club is only considering the full sale of their award-winning striker in a new transfer update.