Arsenal have had a £45million transfer bid for Jhon Duran turned down by Aston Villa, according to reports.
Mikel Arteta is looking to add more firepower to their frontline after a goal-shy start to the Premier League season and the Gunners boss is reportedly targeting one of the division’s most lethal strikers.
Colombian radio station Antena 2 claim Arsenal submitted an offer worth £45.2m (€55m) to their Premier League counterparts. But that appears to have been swiftly rebuffed by the Midlands club, with the north London outfit apparently told to increase their offer.
The report claims Villa have attempted to ward off potential suitors by demanding a fee in excess of £70.7m (€85m), which would represent the second-highest sale in the club’s history and a record for a Colombian player.
The Colombia international has hit eight goals in all competitions this season despite starting only three matches. All four of his goals in the top flight have come from the bench, having made 10 substitute appearances.
The 20-year-old’s performances have not gone unnoticed by Europe’s biggest clubs, especially after his winning goal in the 1-0 shock victory over Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Duran was strongly linked with moves to Chelsea and West Ham in the summer transfer window and looked poised to leave. However, he performed a U-turn and signed a new contract until 2029 after talks with Unai Emery.
Recent reports have suggested PSG are also interested in the mercurial attacker and are reportedly willing to offer up to £50m. But it seems Villa are adamant he will not be leaving unless a mammoth offer arrives.
Duran arrived in a deal worth £18m from MLS side Chicago Fire in January 2023 and has bagged 16 goals in 65 appearances for the Villains. But he has become frustrated by a lack of first-team starts, having been used primarily as an impact player by Emery.
Arteta may see Duran as the profile of striker he has been searching for, with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus struggling for goals this season. The pair cost a combined £110m but have only found the net on seven occasions between them.
Arsenal may well see Duran as a potential alternative to Viktor Gyokeres, who has been heavily linked with a big-money switch to the Emirates.
Gyokeres fired a hat-trick for the Portuguese side in a 4-1 demolition of Manchester City to take his goal tally to 25 for club and country this season. But the appointment of his manager Ruben Amorim at Manchester United could give them the upper hand over Arsenal.
So far, his club Sporting have refused to budge from the Swede’s £85m release clause despite paying only £20m to sign him from Coventry City a year ago. It remains to be seen if they would be willing to meet Villa’s valuation for Duran either.
