West Ham’s second bid for Jhon Duran turned down by Aston Villa

West Ham United have been dealt a major blow in their quest to sign Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran.

According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the Villans have turned down a £32 million bid from the Hammers for the Colombian striker.

West Ham wanted to negotiate a player-plus-cash deal that would have seen academy talent Lewis Orford head in the opposite direction.

The Villans would also have retained a significant sell-on clause, but they’re not satisfied with West Ham’s cash proposal.

Villa are holding out for at least £40m for the former Chicago Fire striker, who has also attracted interest from Chelsea this summer.

Villa paid around £18m to sign the striker from the Major League Soccer outfit and are keen to bank a significant profit from his potential departure.

Both clubs are still in talks, with West Ham determined to finalise a deal. Personal terms are not expected to be a problem, as Duran has indicated his desire to join West Ham.

The 20-year-old struggled for first-team minutes last term, playing second fiddle to Ollie Watkins, who fired Villa to a top-four finish with 19 Premier League goals.

Duran has been capped ten times at international level for Colombia and was part of the team that suffered a 1-0 defeat against Argentina in the Copa America final.

Duran is not worth £40m and West Ham must move on

West Ham United appear to be caught in a transfer conundrum.

We desperately need a proven goalscorer to spearhead our attack next season. Yet, we are fixated on a high-stakes gamble for a player with limited Premier League experience.

Duran may be a talented prospect, but he is not worth £40m. It’s ludicrous that we’re still discussing a deal after the previous offer was rejected.

He scored five goals in the Premier League last season but only started in three of his 23 appearances.

There are numerous strikers in Europe who possess a proven record and are available for a similar fee. For a club with European ambitions, we should cast a wider net and explore more value-for-money options.

Stats from Sofascore.com