Aston Villa Announce The Signing Of Jhon Duran From Chicago Fire
Aston Villa Announce The Signing Of Jhon Duran From Chicago Fire
Aston Villa has announced that they have completed the agreement to sign Jhon Duran from MLS’s Chicago Fire.
The Claret and Blue are yet to agree on personal terms with the young Columbian forward. Following this, he will have to pass the medical and obtain a mandatory work permit.
Apart from that, Villa has a clear shot at acquiring the forward’s services. As per 90min, Villa has agreed to pay $18m upfront with an additional $4m extra in add-ons.
It is believed that the West Midlands club has to fight off competition from Portuguese outfit Benfica. However, there were many other clubs in Europe who had shown interest in Duran.
Duran has so far made three appearances for the Columbian National team and had an appreciable debut season in the MLS. Since, arriving from hometown club Envigado for a mere $2.5m, he scored eight goals and registered six assists in 28 matches all season.
What Did Chicago’s Manager Hendrickson Think About The Player?
Back in October, Chicago Fire manager, Ezra Hendrickson, was asked about the forward’s future. He was clear when he said that his desire is to work with Duran for at least another year. However, he was aware of the fact that Duran could leave sooner than expected.
Hendrickson stated: “Well, I certainly hope that he’s with us next year. But you know, when you’re a player of that caliber and that talent at such a young age, I would be surprised if teams, especially European teams weren’t looking or weren’t paying attention. And also, getting a call-up to the Colombian National Team I’m sure helped as far as the exposure for him.”
Duran’s move to the Premier League came after an earlier transfer of keeper Gabriel Slonina. The American goalkeeper was signed by Chelsea for a reported $15m back in the summer but was allowed to stay back until the January transfer window. Both these signings could rack up to $37m in transfer fees for Chicago Fire.
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