This summer – especially early on – saw a host of links between Chelsea and Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran.
Things went quiet on that front – but other teams are in the mix now. James Nursey is reporting that Duran is going to inform Villa that he wants to join West Ham, who are building a new team under Julen Lopetegui and want a goalscorer desperately.
The Colombia international is valued at £40m, making him expensive but gettable for the Hammers, who have built a strong team in many areas and are just looking for the final piece. Chelsea’s interest in Duran went very quiet – but they too are in need of a new goal threat, and may be forced to open talks again.
Chelsea’s summer plan has its risks – as we’re seeing now
The strategy Chelsea have employed all summer has been perfectly summed up by their approach to Duran: first they established pretty serious contacts with players and their clubs. They figured out what each party would want, and laid the basic framework for a deal.
But they didn’t put offers in – instead they retreated to base camp once they’d completed their intelligence gathering, and focused on the all important sales which are going to grease the wheels of this window.
It’s a nice plan – the more information you have the better informed your decisions are. But we’re seeing the weakness in it now. West Ham are not nearly as tempting as option for Duran as Chelsea, one would think. But if he wants to leave Villa and become a first choice Premier League striker somewhere, he’s got to take the plunge at some point. He won’t wait around for us all summer, and eventually we may be forced into action if we want to sign him, or risk being left empty handed.
