The genius Aston Villa and Chelsea summer swap transfer deal that could leave West Ham fuming

It always kind of felt like it might end this way. From the moment he arrived at Villa Park, it has seemed as if Jhon Duran, nemesis of the spellchecker, has been angling for an exit of some sort or other. Now, it would appear he is shuffling ever closer to that conclusion.

According to James Nursey of the Mirror, the striker has every intention of telling Aston Villa that he wishes to leave the club in the coming days, and the likelihood of a £40 million transfer away from the Midlands has consequently increased quite a lot. Indeed, he is not short on suitors either. It is understood that West Ham are leading the charge, having already had three bids turned down for the 20-year-old. Duran is reportedly keen to link up with fellow Spanish speaker Julen Lopetegui, and believes that he would be afforded greater first team opportunities at the London Stadium. Updates to come on what language Unai Emery has been speaking all this time.

Just behind the Hammers are Chelsea and Newcastle United, although at this stage it is unclear exactly how advanced either club’s interest is. Regardless, at the present moment in time, it looks as if Duran will be away, and that East London is his most likely destination.

But until the contract is inked and the scarf picture has been uploaded to various social media platforms, there is still time for West Ham’s raid to be hijacked. And to that end, Chelsea may have a novel way of gaining an advantage.

For a while now, Villa have been linked with a potential swoop for Stamford Bridge midfielder Conor Gallagher. Talk of their interest has cooled a touch in the wake of the Villans’ promising pursuit of Everton star Amadou Onana, but certainly, for the longest time, it appeared as if the England international could be on his way to Villa Park.

And given the recent departure of Douglas Luiz, there is every chance that Emery and his board could still harbour an intention to bring in more than one central midfielder this window; one to replace the Brazilian, one to bolster their ranks as they presumably always hoped to. If that is the case, then maybe Gallagher is still on their radar, despite his sudden disappearance from the gossip columns.

Perhaps, then, there is an agreement to be reached here. According to various reports, the 24-year-old is valued at around £55 million - a little more than Duran, but not ridiculously so. He is also a target for Spanish giants Atletico Madrid, but again, nothing is concrete. You would assume, therefore, that if Chelsea were to approach Villa with an offer of a swap deal - say, Gallagher in exchange for Duran plus £10-15 million, the Villans would at least consider it.

Indeed, it may be the only way, at this stage, for both clubs to land their respective targets. With West Ham looming and Atletico waiting in the wings, an agreement between Chelsea and Villa might well prove to be mutually beneficial. The Blues get their centre forward, and Emery’s side recruit a quality workhorse in the centre of the park ahead of a foray into the Champions League next term. It probably won’t happen, but maybe it should.