West Ham's next January transfer could be a shock deal for a £64m striker - if Everton don't get there first
West Ham have been linked with a sensational move for a long-term striker target - but they aren’t the only team in the mix.
Former Aston Villa wonderkid Jhon Durán is reportedly ‘on the radar’ of a number of Premier League clubs, amid mounting speculation linking him with a late January move back to English football just 12 months after his decision to leave the West Midlands for Saudi Arabia.
Durán won admirers throughout his final six months in the Premier League after scoring 12 times across all competitions in the first half of last season. Many saw the Colombian international as one of the hottest prospects in the world due to his immense speed, agility and most notably his incredible ability to strike the ball from distance, with a number of his efforts getting a mention in both the Goal of the Month and Goal of the Season nominations at the end of the campaign.
The 22-year-old’s decision to leave the Premier League for the Middle East raised plenty of eyebrows, with talkSPORT’s Simon Jordan describing it as a ‘money move’. Villa boss Emery added that he was disappointed by the decision at the time: "I can be disappointed a little bit,” he told Birmingham Live. "My thoughts are always that his improvement here can give him the opportunity to play as well. Maybe in Europe with some of the best teams in the world. But Saudi Arabia, they are improving a lot. They are paying well. They are increasing the level of the league. I accept some players leave for there.”
West Ham once again linked with Durán
It’s commonly said that ‘third time’s a charm’ with anything you try in life, and West Ham will hope that applies to Durán as they are once again linked with a bold move for the South American talent.
West Ham’s interest in Duran became common knowledge during the 2024 summer window when the Colombian missed pre-season training amid reports linking him with a move to the London Stadium. However, on the opening day of last season, Durán scored the winning goal in a 2–1 victory over West Ham, having started as a substitute, celebrating by reinstating his commitment to Villa.
Duran was again linked with West Ham the following January, but the Hammers were unable to compete with the financial might of Al-Nassr, who convinced the youngster to relocate to play alongside an icon of the game in Cristiano Ronaldo. Now, despite signing two strikers in the form of Pablo and Valentin Castellanos, West Ham are again interested in the young forward, according to reports from A Spor.
What comes next for Durán ?
Duran has had a challenging time since leaving the Premier League, and hasn’t quite lived up to the hype that surrounded him 12 months ago.
On the surface, he did well in Saudi after scoring 12 times in 18 appearances for Al Nassr, but reportedly struggled with personal issues while living in the Middle East, although it’s not quite clear what these were. He linked up with Jose Mourinho at Fenerbahçe on loan just weeks before the Portuguese coaches’ departure but has only managed five goals in 21 appearances. He’s started six league games all season and has often been second fiddle to the in-form striker Talisca.
Reports in Turkey suggest Everton, West Ham, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest are all keeping tabs on the situation. However, there would have to be a cancellation of his current loan before he could end up in England this month, as well as an agreement with Al-Nassr over wages - making this as a challenging deal to sort in January and potentially one that’s more likely to take place over the summer.
Duran at 22-years-old has the potential to be a real asset wherever he picks up if the manager can get him settled and harness his talents - and there’s at least some chance that he takes those talents back to the Premier League before long, if the reports are to be believed.
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