West Ham United remain determined to bolster their attacking options and are reportedly considering a loan move for Aston Villa forward Jhon Duran, if a place can be created for him within the squad by ‘engineering’ player exits.
According to HITC, Duran is now being eyed as a backup option for the Germany international and remains a target for the irons this summer.
West Ham would be willing to move on both Michail Antonio and Danny Ings before the transfer window shuts – the latter was linked with a return to Southampton earlier in the window.The Hammers have shown consistent interest in the Colombian striker, who has struggled for regular playing time at Villa Park since his arrival from Chicago Fire. Despite facing stiff competition from other clubs, including Chelsea, West Ham are hopeful of securing a deal before the transfer window closes.
A loan move would allow West Ham to assess Duran’s suitability for the Premier League without committing to a permanent transfer. The 20-year-old’s potential and raw talent make him an attractive prospect, and the Hammers believe he could develop into a key player for the club.However, Aston Villa are reluctant to let Duran leave on loan unless a mandatory purchase option is included in the deal. The club value the Colombian highly and are determined to recoup a significant fee for his services. It would not surprise us if this deal ‘magically’ developed immediately after the impending West Ham vs Aston Villa game: It might be seen as a potential ‘Banana skin’ for the Villains to let Duran come to a competitor and have him score the winner against them on his debut!
Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo are likely to be the preferred centre-back duo, with Nayef Aguerd a possible starter if he stays in London this summer, but Kurt Zouma and Konstantinos Mavropanos look surplus to requirement.
Given the transfer window so far, it would be unsurprising if one more name were to come through the London Stadium doors.
In other West Ham news, Manchester City are set to sign a player who just left the London Stadium for free.