Concrete interest in Jhon Duran

It’s been a decent start to the 2024/25 season for Unai Emery and Aston Villa, perhaps typified by the excellent form of Jhon Duran.

The Colombian has been an impact player par excellence, and as transfermarkt note, he already has six goals in nine appearances, but has only played for 297 minutes across those six matches.

That’s roughly equivalent to three and a quarter total games, which is a sensational return from the 20-year-old.

Real Madrid looking at Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran

The highlight to date was surely the winner he bagged against Bayern Munich in the midweek Champions League tie (via Aston Villa’s YouTube channel).

Emery has certainly been impressed by Duran, and it’s recently been reported that Villa are unwilling to sell a player that almost joined Chelsea and then West Ham last summer.

However, the Midlands-based side clearly hadn’t countenanced on the interest of European and Spanish league champions, Real Madrid.

According to sources speaking to Football Insider, Los Blancos have a “concrete” interest in the player.

That will excite the player’s uncle who believes if his nephew works hard, he could yet play for Real Madrid in his career.

Given how well Duran has been playing, one has to question why Emery isn’t giving more minutes to him, particularly as the club appeared to go all out to stop him from moving elsewhere.

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Chelsea were apparently unsure about his attitude, and given he was caught making the ‘crossed Hammers’ gesture when Duran clearly thought he’d be making a move to West Ham, perhaps it’s understandable why the player is having to make amends to the club first before being unleashed on a more regular basis.

With games coming thick and fast for the Villains over the few weeks following the international break, Emery is going to need all of the help he can get from his squad.

If Duran continues on his current trajectory, Real could evidently make good on their initial interest.