Aston Villa are reportedly ‘in the process of accepting’ a £58.6million offer from Saudi Arabia for Arsenal-linked striker Jhon Duran.
Duran, 21, joined the Villans from MLS side Chicago Fire for around £14m in January 2023 and has scored 20 goals in 78 matches for the club.
The Colombian international was strongly linked with a move to Chelsea last January and was interested in moving to West Jam in the 2024 summer transfer window.
A move to the London Stadium failed to materialise and after an impressive start to the season, the young striker signed a new six-year contract.
This has not stopped the transfer rumours from persisting as Duran struggles to nail down a starting spot ahead of Ollie Watkins.
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Chelsea have again been linked but are not expected to make an offer before the January transfer window closes.
There is plenty of interest, however, with Premier League rivals Arsenal and West Ham both reportedly keen.
The Hammers have failed with an official bid for Duran this month, seeing a potential club-record transfer fee – in the region of £57m – rejected by Aston Villa.
Arsenal, meanwhile, have been considering signing a striker in the winter window and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported this week that Mikel Arteta’s side “made a call in the recent weeks to understand the situation”.
Interest in Duran goes further than the Premier League, with French champions Paris Saint-Germain and clubs in Saudi Arabia also reportedly targeting him.
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It looks like a move to the Middle East is around the corner, with Villa ‘in the process of accepting’ a huge offer from Al Nassr.
This is according to French outlet L’Equipe, where it is claimed PSG were eyeing up a summer move for Duran but Cristiano Ronaldo’s side have swooped in.
Al Nassr have been ‘pushing for several days with significant means’, which has ‘totally changed the discourse’ at Villa Park, with the Midlands clib previously ‘repelling all offensives’.
The report claims Duran is ‘already contractually agreed with the Saudi club’ and is waiting for Villa and Al Nassr to agree a fee.
That looks on the cards as Villa are ‘in the process of accepting an offer of more than €70m’ (£58.6m).
News of Duran’s move to Al Nassr surely contradicts reports claiming Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface is joining the Saudi Pro League side.
Should both players move to Al Nassr, they will have Boniface, Duran and Ronaldo, who are all out-and-out No. 9s.
Sky Germany transfer expert Florian Plettenberg has been on the Boniface case, claiming the Nigerian ‘will join Al Nassr with immediate effect’.
Leverkusen have reportedly agreed to sell the striker for €60m (£50.3m).
Boniface has already passed his medical and will earn €15m (£12.5m) a year in Saudi Arabia, Plettenberg reports.
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