West Ham United reportedly ‘dream’ of signing Aston Villa star Jhon Duran before tomorrow’s deadline, as per the transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
The Hammers have already bolstered the centre-forward position by signing Niclas Fullkrug from Borussia Dortmund in this transfer window. However, they were heavily linked with a move for Duran earlier this summer but a deal eventually couldn’t be done.
Now, speaking on GiveMeSport, Romano has reported that although Julen Lopetegui’s side couldn’t manage to secure his signature previously, they remain keen on signing him.
The journalist says the Colombian is a ‘dream target’ of West Ham to strengthen the attack but purchasing him won’t be easy as Aston Villa will want a big fee to let him leave late in this window.
Duran to West Ham
Romano further states that Chelsea are also keen on signing Duran and therefore, West Ham will have to beat the Blues in this race to get their man.
Romano said:
“As I mentioned, the dream target has always been Jhon Duran, but he could be too expensive. West Ham still appreciate Jhon Duran. The problem is that now he could be too expensive for them, because obviously, if Villa let the player go in the final days, it would require an important package of money.
“So, let’s see what happens with Chelsea. I think Chelsea are a key part of this story to understand what Chelsea want to do, which striker they want to sign, and which striker they will be able to sign in the final days.”
Aston Villa reportedly want £40m to sell the South American so it would be difficult for West Ham to purchase the striker by matching the Villans’ asking price having already splashed around £125m this summer.
Moreover, the East London club reportedly also want a new midfielder before tomorrow’s deadline with Paris Saint-Germain’s Carlos Soler on their shortlist. So, it is going to be interesting to see how much money Lopetegui’s side eventually spend in this transfer window.
Meanwhile, following a 1-0 victory over AFC Bournemouth in the EFL Cup, West Ham will face off against Manchester City in the Premier League this weekend before the international stage.
