Nothing says confidence like staking a claim to start at number 9 ahead of one of last season’s standout Premier League strikers, Ollie Watkins. But for Jhon Durán, the stats suggest he has every reason to back himself.
After his goal against Everton this weekend, the 20-year-old Colombian became the first player ever to score three match-winning goals as a substitute in the same season. He also boasts the second-best strike rate in the league, behind only Erling Haaland, with a goal every 86 minutes. According to his agent, 40 different clubs were chasing his signature this summer and we are starting to see why.
When Villa signed Durán from MLS side Chicago Fire for £18 million in January 2023, few had heard of him. In fact, some eyebrows were raised at such a hefty fee for a player with limited senior experience.
Nevertheless, Durán has steadily proved his worth. Despite spending much of last season in the shadow of Watkins, Durán netted 8 times—enough to attract interest from West Ham this summer, although that move never materialised. Needless to say, after his prolific start to this campaign, he’s certainly hot property now. As the old cliché goes, Durán is giving Unai Emery the kind of selection headache managers dream of, with two top-quality strikers to choose from.
At 1.85m, Durán has the physicality to lead the line in the Premier League. His goals range from towering headers, like the one against Leicester earlier in the month, to clinical close-range finishes. His long-range strike against Everton is already a contender for Goal of the Season. Durán clearly has an eye for goal, and with his confident, almost swaggering body language on the pitch, Villa look to have unearthed a real gem.
With a packed schedule, including Champions League fixtures starting with Young Boys this evening, Durán will surely get opportunities to lead the line for Villa. He may need to be patient, but there’s no doubt there’s plenty more to come from the Colombian youngster.
HJC Journalism 