Chelsea are considering making a move for Aston Villa youngster Jhon Duran as their short-term striker option this month, as per Nathan Gissing.
The Blues are in the market for a new striker to bolster their goalscoring options after the disappointing showings in front of goal of their current strikers.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino has had to turn to Cole Palmer to lead the line as a false nine in their last two matches following the exit of Senegalese striker Nicolas Jackson for the AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire. The Englishman has not excelled in the false nine role in any of the games, and was especially poor in front of goal against Middlesborough in the Carabao Cup.
Of the club’s other options, Armando Broja is still yet to find his best form since suffering a serious knee injury. The Albanian striker has managed to score just two goals this season. Christopher Nkunku, on the other hand, has missed most of the season through injury and is currently on the sidelines with another knock.
According to Gissing, 20-year-old Colombian striker Duran is being looked at as a short-term option, as Chelsea are planning to splash the cash on a long-term solution in the summer window. They are looking to get a stop-gap until the end of the season, and have held internal talks’ about a loan move for Duran.
Chelsea have been linked with several strikers in this window, most notably Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney, both of whom are expected to cost around £100 million. With an eye on their spending, the Blues are looking at cheaper options for this window, and have been linked with Karim Benzema, and now Duran.
Jhon Duran not ready for Chelsea switch
Aston Villa signed Colombian youngster Jhon Duran from MLS side Chicago Fire in January 2023, and he has yet to really light the Premier League on fire since his arrival.
This season, Duran has scored two goals in 14 league appearances plus another two in the UEFA Europa Conference League. The young Colombian has made just seven starts for Unai Emery’s side this season, as he is behind Ollie Watkins in the pecking order.
Duran is a developing striker, no different from Chelsea’s own Broja, who may even be further along in his development. A move to Chelsea may not be the best for him at this time, as he is struggling to find his feet in European football.
