West Ham hopes have been dashed with the news that Aston Villa forward Jhon Duran has cemented his long-term commitment to the club by signing a new six-year contract, putting an end to any Hammers’ hope of signing him.
The 20-year-old, who was the subject of strong transfer interest from the Irons over the summer, has now secured a deal that will see him remain at Villa Park until 2030.
To rub further salt in the wounds, Duran has been scintillating this season in his role as an impact substitute, netting four Premier League goals from the bench and recently scoring a humdinger in the Midlander’s Champions League triumph against Bayern Munich.
On Sunday, The Sun reported that West Ham’s director of football, Tim Steidten, felt ‘unsupported’ by the club following his recommendation of the Colombian striker.
Those reports have since been dismissed by a club insider, although a top source has revealed to Claret & Hugh that the Hammers had genuine interest in the player and made multiple bids.