Aston Villa sporting director Monchi has claimed one Villa Park youngster has all the attributes to become world class in the years to come in news that will be music to the ears of their fans.
Villa building for the future
It was a tough transfer window for Unai Emery’s Aston Villa as they battled to comply with the Premier League’s financial fair play rules, an issue that forced them to sell Douglas Luiz and also saw them part ways with Moussa Diaby, with the pair fetching close to £100m combined.
However, eight new faces also arrived, with Amadou Onana setting the club back £50m from Everton, a club record signing, while Ian Maatsen also arrived for £37m.
Aston Villa’s new signings (summer 2024) | ||
Player | Age when signed | Fee |
Amadou Onana | 23 | £50m |
Ian Maatsen | 22 | £37m |
Cameron Archer | 22 | £14m |
Jaden Philogene | 22 | £13.5m |
Lewis Dobbin | 21 | £8m |
Samuel Iling-Junior | 20 | £11.8m + add-ons |
Enzo Barrenechea | 23 | £6.7m + add-ons |
Ross Barkley | 30 | £5m |
One of the key ideas was to reduce the squad age while also adding depth to Emery’s ranks. Speaking after the transfer window, Villa’s hierarchy hinted as much when discussing the deal to bring Juventus pair Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea to the club from Turin.
“Samuel and Enzo are young players we trust. Maybe we knew they wouldn’t be ready to play for us immediately, but both are young, talented, sustainable salaries and in the next year they’re going to be good assets”, Villa’s Damian Vidagany told The Athletic.
And The Athletic added that “among Villa’s chief intentions was to lower the group’s average age” over the summer, something that was undoubtedly achieved, with the average age of new additions just 23.7 years old, well below the squad average of over 26. But now, Monchi has hinted that the best young player in Villa’s ranks may well have been there the whole time.
Aston Villa chief backs “special” striker to be world class
That comes as the Aston Villa Sporting Director has backed Jhon Duran to become World Class at Villa Park. The Colombia international was used mostly off the bench by Emery last season, but was dubbed “special” by the Villa boss after helping them to a draw with Liverpool with two late goals.
“Jhon Duran is a special player. We have to try and help him. He is a good guy, and he needs a team behind him. He is getting our demands better. He was very clinical and today was important for him”, Emery explained.
Linked with moves away from Villa Park over the summer, he held talks with West Ham and Chelsea only to ultimately stay in the Midlands. And Monchi has revealed that the club in fact turned down a mammoth forty offers for the 20 year old, who he and Emery believe could become a world class talent.
“There are no fewer than 40 clubs who want Durán”, he explained. “But Emery is very confident with Jhon. He thinks Durán he can become one of the best strikers in the world”.
“He wanted to leave, yes. Just because he wants to play, normal. But now it’s all good, he’s happy”, he added. “If there is a club that really thinks Duran can become one of the top strikers in the world… then that one club is Aston Villa, and that one manager is Unai Emery.”
Villa fans will be hoping that Duran can make the step up this season, and hand Ollie Watkins some well needed rest across the course of what promises to be a long and gruelling campaign.
