West Ham United have intensified their pursuit of Aston Villa’s rising star Jhon Duran, submitting an eye-catching £57 million bid for the Colombian striker.
Duran has been a revelation this season, netting 12 goals in just 27 appearances across all competitions. Even more remarkable is his efficiency, scoring once every 82 minutes despite being primarily a backup to Ollie Watkins.
The 21-year-old’s performances have captured the attention of Premier League giants Arsenal and Chelsea.
Chelsea have maintained an interest in Duran since his arrival at Villa Park from Chicago Fire in January 2023 and narrowly missed signing him for £42 million last summer.
Arsenal, too, made their interest known in October, just after Duran committed to a new long-term contract at Villa.
As Arsenal look for a prolific scorer to rescue their season and Chelsea prepare for a possible reshuffle if Christopher Nkunku departs for Bayern Munich, West Ham have emerged as determined competitors.
According to The Athletic, the Hammers have increased their previous offer significantly, nearly doubling it to £57 million. However, the bid is expected to fall short of Aston Villa’s £75 million valuation.
West Ham’s urgency comes as they face a challenging campaign, languishing in 14th place in the Premier League. Newly appointed manager Graham Potter is struggling to address the team’s glaring lack of goals.
Injuries have further compounded their problems—Niklas Fullkrug is out with a hamstring issue, Jarrod Bowen is sidelined with a fractured foot, and Michail Antonio is recovering from a serious car accident. Danny Ings, their only fit center-forward, has been unable to deliver consistently.
In addition to Duran, West Ham are reportedly eyeing other high-profile targets, including Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford and Chelsea’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, as they aim to strengthen their squad during the January transfer window.
Adding intrigue to the saga, West Ham’s next fixture is against Aston Villa, where they’ll face Duran on his home turf this Sunday. This match could offer another opportunity for the Hammers to observe the striker’s capabilities firsthand as they push to bring him to London.