As Chelsea continues to search for a new forward, their latest enquiry has seen them make some early moves to persuade “special” Jhon Duran to move to Stamford Bridge from Villa Park.
Ever since Chelsea’s ownership changed hands from Roman Abramovich to Todd Boehly, the club have seen a policy change where signing U25s seems to be the order of the day. Of the 34 signings the club have made since Boehly’s takeover, 26 were 25 or under when signed and Duran looks to be the latest young target the Blues are after – at 20 years of age, he fits the policy like a glove.
Chelsea Rekindle Interest in Jhon Duran
Early Contact Made Between Chelsea And Villa
Matt Law of the Telegraph has reported that Chelsea’s interest in Duran has been rekindled, with links to the Colombian first surfacing back in January when Mauricio Pochettino was still manager at Stamford Bridge. However, the Aston Villa man hasn’t been the player at the top of Chelsea’s shortlist. Links to Benjamin Sesko – who is now set to sign a new contract at RB Leipzig – have come and gone, with Chelsea now clearly feeling Duran is the next best option.
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Law also mentions in his article the words of Duran’s agent Jonathan Herrera, who spoke on Chelsea’s admiration for his player while Pochettino was still at Stamford Bridge.
Why Duran Would Be Keen On A Move To SW6
Despite only joining Aston Villa from Chicago Fire in January 2023, it might seem strange from the outside looking in that Duran wants out of the club, especially with Villa set for their first-ever season in the Champions League since the competition was rebranded in 1992.
However, the first elite European competition campaign at Villa Park for 42 years hasn’t stopped the youngster from having his head turned by one of the elites. Duran has had to play second fiddle to Ollie Watkins since arriving in England, playing just 456 minutes in the league in 2023/24 and when Chelsea come calling, it can be hard to turn them down.
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On June 12, Fabrizio Romano tweeted out that Duran “wants Chelsea” and is giving them priority over Italian clubs for whom he might get more game time – but an opportunity to stay in the Premier League and join a team – that with just a couple more signings could crack top four next season, it is understandable why Duran has this mindset.
A Swap Deal Could Be Possible
Romano also stated in his tweet that contact from Chelsea regarding the Colombian, who has nine caps for his country, was remade when the West Midlands side recently enquired about Conor Gallagher, whose future at Stamford Bridge remains in the balance as contract talks between him and Chelsea seem to be non-existent despite his excellent performances this season – so an exchange of players is certainly on the cards.
If Duran does depart from Aston Villa this summer, he’ll leave on good terms, with his brace against Liverpool on the penultimate day of the season earning the club a 3-3 draw, confirming his side’s return to the pinnacle of European football.
