Julen Lopetegui continues to add new faces to his West Ham squad ahead of his debut season.
West Ham have been advised to not give up on the transfer pursuit of striker Jhon Duran this summer by Aston Villa legend Gabby Agbonlahor.
The Hammers have submitted multiple bids to their Premier League rivals in an attempt to bring the 20-year-old to the London Stadium but the Midlands outfit has proved hard to bargain with. The Daily Mail reported at the end of July that Aston Villa had rejected a lofty £32 million bid from West Ham for the striker.
That’s a staggering fee for a player who has just five top flight goals to his name. Duran made 37 appearances for Aston Villa last season but was largely a utility player under Unai Emery as the club secured a place in the Champions League.
Villa are believed to be willing to sell Duran this summer and need to cash in on stars having invested heavily in the market. However, their valuation of £40 million has proved a problem for West Ham.
Fresh reports from Football Insider now suggest that the London club has given up the chase and turned attention to AS Roma man Tammy Abraham, whose £25 million price tag is viewed as a much more viable sum. However, speaking to AceOdds, former Villa man Agbonlahor has advised West Ham that Duran would fit the Lopetegui system well.
He said: “I think he’d do really well. I saw him do the Hammers sign on his Instagram Live, where it might have got him in a bit of trouble, but I think if he did go to West Ham, he would suit them. I think he’s fearless, he offers great pace and aggression.
“Whenever he was on the pitch for Aston Villa, he always put in a very good performance. He’s a player I’d love Aston Villa to keep, but I think West Ham needs someone like Duran.
“Yes, they’ve signed Fullkrug, but I think Duran offers a good backup to Fullkrug as well. I think he’d do really well and you’ve got pace on the wings with Bowen and Kudus. West Ham could be a force next season.”
Any West Ham move for Abraham as an alternative to Duran is set to come with competition from Premier League rivals AFC Bournemouth, who have just sold their star striker Dominic Solanke to Tottenham Hotspur. AC Milan and Atalanta are also credited with interest.
Duran has confronted the transfer rumours head-on this summer, in a way that had given West Ham hope of a deal. Speaking to ESPN Deportes, he said: “I take it very calmly with the help of my agent and my father we are taking everything little by little, of course my name sounds in those big teams, it is very important for my career. I am happy that these rumours are happening and hopefully something concrete happens.”
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