Yahoo Sports West Ham negotiating deal to sign Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran
West Ham United are hot on the heels of Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
The Hammers have already added Luis Guilherme from Palmeiras, Max Kilman from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Wes Foderingham on a free transfer to the squad.
However, more signings are believed to be in the pipeline, and the club have now turned their attention to Villa’s Duran as part of Lopetegui’s plans to bolster his attacking options.
The Irons have previously been linked with strikers like Alexander Sorloth and Artem Dovbyk in recent weeks, but negotiations haven’t yielded results.
Romano reports that West Ham have now shifted their focus to the highly-rated Duran.
The Hammers have already submitted multiple bids for the 20-year-old Colombian striker, with the latest offer reportedly reaching around £35 million with a 10% sell-on clause included.
We’ve already agreed personal terms with the striker, so all that remains is for both clubs to reach an agreement on the transfer fee.
Duran is an exciting talent for West Ham
Duran joined Villa from Major League Soccer outfit Chicago Fire in January 2023, but he could be on his way to the London Stadium after just a year and a half in Birmingham.
The talented striker has impressed in his limited time with the Villans, making 49 appearances and chipping in with eight goals across all competitions.
He found playing time hard to come by last season, starting just three of his 23 appearances in the Premier League.
Despite playing second fiddle to Villa’s top scorer, Ollie Watkins, Duran bagged five Premier League goals, including a stunning double in the penultimate game of the 2023/24 season.
His brace in the 3-3 draw against Liverpool was crucial to helping Villa clinch Champions League football, and he’d be an exciting addition to Lopetegui’s squad.
Duran still has a lot of potential to unlock, but at just 20, his ceiling is very high. With increased playing time, he has all the tools to develop into a lethal finisher.
Stats from Sofascore.com
