West Ham top brass have final say on Jhon Duran Aston Villa saga after claim. It’s the transfer saga that won’t go away but now West Ham have had the final say on that move for Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran.
West Ham have missed out on a string of top quality young strikers in recent years. From Julian Alvarez and Viktor Gyokeres to the latest – Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran.
Despite being widely regarded to have had one of the club’s best ever windows, West Ham cannot escape the sense of regret – and criticism – over their failed pursuit of Aston Villa’s young forward.
Many Hammers fans fans feel the striker department is one key area that was not properly addressed in the summer.
West Ham and Villa saga continues after Romano claim. Premier League rivals Aston Villa are spoilt for choice up front with Duran the back-up to Ollie Watkins. One of West Ham’s big summer signings was £23.5m veteran striker Niclas Fullkrug.
The Hammers simply had to go out and get a top forward in the summer. The German became striker signing number 53 since David Sullivan arrived in east London in 2010. Far too many of those have been flops or spent most of their time injured.
And those who have been a success haven’t stuck around long enough.
Some West Ham fans questioned the signing of Fullkrug given his age, lack of pace and injury record.
Many wanted to see the club get a younger, more dynamic striker. West Ham top brass have final say on Duran. What they really wanted was Aston Villa’s Duran.
While West Ham continue to toil with 34-year-old Michail Antonio up front, Duran has been smashing it with Villa.
Every time Duran scores or shines – which is every game at the moment – West Ham fans can be heard asking the same question – ‘why didn’t we just pay the extra £5m’.
That of course refers to the alleged gap in valuation which saw West Ham ditch the move for Duran and turn their attentions to Fullkrug. Duran smashed in yet another winner for Villa as he blasted home from nearly 30 yards out in a 3-2 victory over Everton at the weekend.
Duran is showcasing his full repertoire this season – including getting that winner against West Ham.
He is powerful, quick, skilful and a deadly finisher from close and long range. The young forward has a shot like a traction engine.
Watching Duran has been painful for West Ham fans and no doubt the club’s owner Sullivan. There is already talk of his valuation sky-rocketing beyond £70m at Aston Villa and some of Europe’s elite being interested.
Especially so as Fullkrug remains out with an Achilles and calf injury sustained on international duty. Hammers News exclusively revealed overnight that Fullkrug is now out until after the October international break.
That has once again raised questions as to why the club signed him rather than pay the extra to get Duran from Aston Villa. Truth about West Ham’s move for Duran. Fabrizio Romano suggested via his Daily Briefing on 27 September that Aston Villa always ‘said no’ to West Ham’s offers for Duran.
Romano claimed the Hammers offered £43 million for the 20-year-old, plus a percentage of any future sale. But it was rejected by Aston Villa.
Now the West Ham top brass have had the final say on the Duran Villa saga after that claim.
Hammers News spoke to the top spokesman inside the club to draw a line under the matter once and for all. As West Ham had made clear to Hammers News at the time, there was ceiling for what they were willing to pay for Duran.
And the simple fact is technical director Tim Steidten elected to spend it elsewhere.
“We had no money left at the end as we bought the Brazilian winger (Luis Guilherme) and German striker instead of Duran,” the senior contact close to the owners told Hammers News overnight.
“The new FFP/PSR rules are really tough.” So there you have it West Ham – and Villa – fans.
West Ham set their ceiling around the £35-40m mark and when Villa made it clear they wanted more, Steidten spent the money elsewhere.
It’s as simple as that.
What’s done is done so the Hammers must now move on. As tough as that may be with Duran shining so brightly at Villa Park.
