Aston Villa strikers Jhon Duran and Ollie Watkins [Credit: Imago]
Aston Villa strikers Jhon Duran and Ollie Watkins [Credit: Imago]
Match

Jhon Duran to start in Newcastle v Aston Villa as Ollie Watkins exit claim made

Bryan King
Bryan King

Senior Scouting Consultant AUTHORITY Former Senior Scout for Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, and Aston Villa; Scandinavian and European talent specialist who discovered Erling Haaland. FOCUS Global recruitment networks, player market valuation, and continental talent acquisition. THE AUDIT Bryan utilises Statscore’s Advanced Scouting Telemetry, including Deep-Data Metrics like Market Value Volatility, Continental Transition Adaptability, and Under-the-Radar Tactical Efficiency. He provides elite-level player profiling to reveal the technical reality behind recruitment that mainstream data ignores.

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Jhon Duran is expected to keep his place when Aston Villa travel to Newcastle in the Premier League on Thursday.

Unai Emery could make two changes at St James' Park on 26 December. However, Duran isn't expected to be one of those changes.

The 21-year-old has started Villa's last three Premier League matches ahead of Ollie Watkins, scoring on each occasion. As a result of this bright form, Paris Saint-Germain have sent a "monster" proposal to Emery's side for Duran [via AreaNapoli, 22 December].

However, ex-Villa scout Bryan King - speaking exclusively to Villa News - thinks it could be Watkins' future which begins to come into question.

"He will play Duran again," King said.

"Villa have shown their strength up front in recent weeks. Duran has come in and he's on absolute fire. He's proven that he can score goals, and then you've got another England international who can come on. However, how long is Watkins going to be happy with this situation?

"It is games which get you into international squads, if Watkins isn't playing regularly, he might be overlooked. However, I can't see him leaving Villa, not until the summer at least anyway, and that is if he is allowed to leave at all."

Jhon Duran to start ahead of Ollie Watkins for Aston Villa v Newcastle?

Should Duran start against the Magpies, that would make it four Premier League games in a row which Watkins has started on the bench.

Therefore, at that point, it would be fair to assume that the Englishman might now be seen as the second choice at Villa Park behind Duran.

While Emery might argue that he is simply rotating his strikers, four Premier League matches on the bounce feels like more of a tactical decision.

Ollie Watkins
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins [Credit: Imago]

Watkins is no doubt too good to be a second-choice striker. As a result, if this situation continues, it wouldn't be a surprise if more noise starts to emerge about a potential move away for the 28-year-old.

In other Aston Villa news, the club have reached a January transfer agreement as a medical is booked.

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Aston Villa
Ollie Watkins
Newcastle United
Unai Emery
Jhon Duran
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