Arsenal are actively engaging with Aston Villa to discuss the potential transfer of Colombian striker Jhon Duran.
The Gunners are racing against time to secure a new center-forward with the January transfer window nearing its close on Monday.
The urgency for a new striker stems from Gabriel Jesus’s season-ending ACL injury. While Mikel Arteta has Kai Havertz in the squad, the German isn’t seen as the ideal solution for a team with ambitions of winning major trophies.
Fabrizio Romano, a renowned football journalist, has indicated that Arsenal has made inquiries about Duran’s availability. “What I’m told is that Arsenal made a call in the recent weeks to understand the situation of Jhon Duran, because Sesko, at the moment, has no green light from Leipzig,” Romano said.
He added that while there have been no direct negotiations or bids with Villa, the interest is clear as alternatives like RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Newcastle’s Alexander Isak appear out of reach.
David Ornstein reported that Villa is open to selling Duran for an offer of around 80 million pounds, especially since the young striker is reportedly frustrated with his bench role. Unai Emery, Villa’s manager, prefers Ollie Watkins as his first choice, potentially paving the way for Duran’s departure.
Jamie Carragher suggested that Villa might consider bids between 50 to 60 million pounds for Duran, given the interest from both Arsenal and Chelsea.
However, Villa previously turned down a significant offer from West Ham United, showing their valuation of the player might be higher.
Charles Watts, an Arsenal insider, highlighted Sesko as the ‘most likely’ striker signing for Arsenal at around 67 million pounds, but if that deal falls through, alternatives like Duran or Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic could become focal points.
Meanwhile, Arsenal has also considered Brighton’s Evan Ferguson, though his current injury and role behind other forwards at Brighton make him a less exciting prospect for fans.
There’s even speculation that Ferguson might join West Ham to link up again with former Brighton coach Graham Potter.
Amid these transfer activities, Arsenal is also looking to revamp their left-back position, with both Kieran Tierney and Oleksandr Zinchenko possibly on their way out. Celtic is keen on bringing back Tierney, though they might need to wait until the summer for a free transfer.
This flurry of activity underscores Arsenal’s determination to strengthen their squad for the remainder of the season, with Duran emerging as a key figure in their transfer strategy.
