Jhon Duran travelling to England for medical to finalise Aston Villa move, Colombian FA confirm
Chicago Fire striker Jhon Duran is travelling to England in order to finalise his move to Aston Villa, according to the Colombian Football Federation.
The Villans announced on Monday afternoon [via Twitter, 16 January] that they had reached an agreement with the MLS outfit for the permanent transfer of the 19-year-old striker.
The Colombian international has undergone a great upward trajectory since joining the club at the beginning of the 2022 MLS season, scoring eight goals and providing six assists in 28 appearances for Chicago.
New boss Unai Emery has been planning to bolster his attacking firepower in his first transfer window as Villa manager, and Duran is set to become the club’s second signing this month following Alex Moreno, who joined [11 January] from La Liga outfit Real Betis.
And according to the Colombian Football Federation [17 January], Duran would be leaving the U20 national team setup and is currently on his way to England to undergo his medical at Aston Villa ahead of finalising his move.
Future
This is certainly a move with an eye on the future for Aston Villa football club. It remains to be seen what immediate plans Unai Emery has for Duran for the rest of the campaign, but he does seem a very intelligent and smart signing for the future.
The 19-year-old underwent a successful first season during the 2022 MLS campaign, registering 14 goal involvements in 28 games. However, moving to the Premier League is a huge step up, and would prove a huge one for any player, no matter their capabilities.
Maybe it would seem plausible for Emery to send Duran to gain some valuable first-team exposure and experience in the Championship as the second division provides players with the platform to learn and mature at such a demanding but expressive level.
Certainly, the Villans are lacking much firepower in attack, but they must provide Duran with a sure pathway to first-team football, and it’s unlikely he’ll trump both Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings for consistent starts.
A loan move would be a smart decision by the club.
In other Aston Villa news, this talented first-team player could quickly become a Villa fan-favourite after his brilliant performance against Leeds in the Premier League.