June 14th 2024.
Enzo Maresca, the manager of Chelsea, has been on the lookout for a new striker to strengthen his team. And now, it seems like they may have found their target in Jhon Duran, a talented 20-year-old striker from Aston Villa. Maresca and his team are currently conducting background checks on Duran, after being granted permission to discuss personal terms with him.
It is reported that Duran is eager to make the move to Stamford Bridge, but the transfer is contingent on Chelsea offering at least one player in exchange to Villa. Maresca, who recently took over as the new Chelsea boss, has expressed his desire to add a new centre forward to complement his current attacking options, which include Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku.
Duran had joined Villa last summer from Chicago Fire for a modest fee of £15million. Despite showing glimpses of potential in his debut season in England, he was mostly overshadowed by the prolific Ollie Watkins. The Daily Telegraph has described Duran as an "unusual character", and Chelsea wants to make sure that he has the right personality traits to thrive under Maresca.
However, Villa has rubbished any claims of Duran being a "bad lad", stating that he has never missed a day of training. As for the potential players that Villa could target in exchange for Duran, one name that has emerged is Ian Maatsen. The young Dutch international was disappointed by the lack of opportunities under Mauricio Pochettino, but his impressive loan spell at Borussia Dortmund has only added to his already growing reputation.
On the other hand, Villa has shown interest in Chelsea's Conor Gallagher, but any deal involving the English midfielder would be separate from the one centered around Duran. When asked about his future with Chelsea, Gallagher stated that he is currently focused on England and the upcoming tournament.
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