Andy Goldstein shares what he knows on Jhon Duran to West Ham United transfer
Andy Goldstein has shared that Aston Villa’s asking price stopped West Ham United from signing Jhon Duran this summer.
The Hammers embarked on a long pursuit of the 20-year-old in the summer [HITC] before opting to move for Niclas Fullkrug instead to bolster the forward options.
Goldstein said live on talkSPORT [3 October, 4:14pm] that a £5million difference in valuation between the clubs saw Duran’s move to East London collapse.
He said: “I’m led to believe that the reason West Ham didn’t get him is because they’d only pay 30 [million] for him and not 35 [million]. The rest is history.”
West Ham will be kicking themselves over Jhon Duran
Tim Steidten helped build a side capable of challenging for the European places this summer, but it has not gone to plan so far at the London Stadium under Julen Lopetegui.
The Spaniard has won one of his opening six Premier League fixtures, including three consecutive defeats at the London Stadium, leaving his side in fourteenth place and only two points clear of the drop zone.
With Fullkrug not expected to return from injury until after the international break [ExWHUemployee], out-of-form forward Michail Antonio is likely to lead the line for the Irons against Ipswich Town on Saturday [5 October] despite ongoing concerns regarding his long-term future at the club.
Duran has scored five goals in seven appearances in all competitions for Villa this season, including a game-deciding goal in the 1-0 win against Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday [4 October].
It is safe to say Steidten committed a monumental error in recruiting a striker this summer – the £5m difference in valuation is starting to look like pocket change in light of what could have been in East London.
While Duran lights up both the domestic and European stage, the situation at West Ham is teetering towards crisis, with Lopetegui coming under increasing pressure and his appointment becoming more of a question mark with each passing match.
In other West Ham news, Alan Brazil is baffled by what’s happening at the Hammers amid recent results.
For more West Ham news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.