West Ham United to try for new Jhon Duran deal in January after summer failure
Jhon Duran remains a transfer target for West Ham and the club are preparing a new bid to sign him in January, according to the Sunday Mirror.
The Sunday Mirror reported in their print edition (1 September, page 70) that the Hammers are set to “re-ignite” their interest, despite failing to meet Aston Villa’s £40million valuation for Duran this summer [Evening Standard, 26 July].
Julen Lopetegui remains keen on signing the Colombian striker though, and he reportedly remains high on the Hammers’ list of potential additions once the next transfer window rolls around in January.
The Irons’ failure to sell out-of-favour frontman Danny Ings on transfer deadline day also reportedly scuppered their chances of completed a last-ditch deal to sign the 20-year-old.
Will West Ham complete Jhon Duran transfer in January?
The Hammer’s deadline day business wasn’t entirely unsuccessful despite missing out on the late signing of Duran, adding Carlos Soler to Lopetegui’s squad on a season-long loan deal from PSG.
Duran, for now at least, remains ‘the one that got away’ after a lengthy pursuit over the course of the 2024 summer window, with Aston Villa steadfastly sticking to the £40m price tag placed on the striker.
Niclas Fullkrug’s arrival from Borussia Dortmund for £27m appeared to be the Irons’ answer to Villa’s refusal to budge on Duran’s valuation [Dan Bardell, 7 August], adding the German international as their headline attacking signing.
Fullkrug, 31, joins 32-year-old Ings and 34-year-old Michail Antonio in the club’s aging centre-forward ranks, but there have been concerns over the ex-Dortmund man’s ability to adapt to the Premier League.
At just 20, Duran would certainly bring down the average age of strikers at the London Stadium, and with their interest in the Colombian not going anywhere, expect another lengthy Hammers transfer chase throughout the January window.
In other West Ham news, ex-Irons boss Sam Allardyce has slammed comments made about his former side last season.
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