Chelsea have received approval from Aston Villa to begin contract negotiations with Jhon Duran as they continue their pursuit of a top striker. According to The Telegraph, the two Premier League clubs have tentatively agreed on a £40 million ($50.7m) transfer fee. Chelsea had previously attempted to sign the Colombian during the winter transfer window, but his injury at the time stalled any progress.
This deal may prompt Aston Villa to target Chelsea’s Ian Maatsen and Conor Gallagher. Maatsen, who impressed during his loan spell at Borussia Dortmund under Edin Terzic, has a £35 million release clause that Dortmund is unwilling to meet. Consequently, Unai Emery’s team is now considering a move for him. Additionally, Villa hopes that acquiring Duran might facilitate a smoother negotiation process for Gallagher.
However, The Telegraph notes potential challenges in the contract talks between Duran and Chelsea. The Blues prefer to offer a “long, incentivized contract” rather than immediately providing high wages, aiming to assess Duran’s character, who is regarded as an “unusual” individual.
Chelsea aims to finalize the Duran deal by the end of this month to prepare for Enzo Marseca’s first season. Any potential deals involving Gallagher and Maatsen are likely to be resolved only after the conclusion of their Euros campaign.
Aston Villa performance and stats
Aston Villa is currently 4th in the Premier League with 68 points.
In the last 38 games, it has won 20 times, drawn 8 times, and lost 10 times. In its last match, Aston Villa lost 5-0 against Crystal Palace.
It has a positive goal difference after scoring 76 goals and conceding 56.
Conor Gallagher
Conor Gallagher
This season he played in total 37 times for 3137 minutes for Premier League.
Conor Gallagher scored 5 goals for Chelsea. He procured 7 assists. He received 7 yellow cards and 1 red card.
His team is currently 7th in Premier League. In the last match Chelsea won 2-1 against AFC Bournemouth.
Chelsea performance and stats
Chelsea is currently 7th in the Premier League with 57 points.
In the last 38 games, it has won 18 times, drawn 9 times, and lost 11 times. In its last match, Chelsea won 2-1 against AFC Bournemouth.
It has a positive goal difference after scoring 73 goals and conceding 61.