Jhon Duran continues to haunt West Ham after the club’s failed summer pursuit of the Aston Villa striker.
Aston Villa star Jhon Duran was identified as West Ham’s top striker target in the summer.
The Hammers looked set to sign Duran in a £45m deal.
But West Ham’s technical director elected to split his striker budget over the signings of Niclas Fullkrug and Luis Guilherme instead.
There were reservations at West Ham that the fee was too much for such an inexperienced player who had not started many games for Aston Villa.
Ageing Fullkrug spent three months out injured and has failed to impress in his three starts to date.
There is even talk the German wants out of West Ham already in January.
Much to West Ham’s despair, Duran has spent the first half of the season making their decision not to go all in for him look utterly laughable with his form for Aston Villa.
The electric Colombian angered Villa fans by doing the crossed Hammers gesture on social media when a move to the London Stadium looked on the cards.
Save a prayer for West Ham’s Duran hopes
The 21-year-old has been putting together a stunning redemption arc at Villa Park since, though.
It was claimed last month that Duran remains on West Ham’s list of targets with signing a younger striker a necessity in the coming windows.
Especially since Michail Antonio’s horrific car crash.
It was claimed that the Hammers believe they might be able to play on the fact Duran is not getting the regular starting berth he craves – and PSR – to try and sign him again.
The Colombian opened up on his failed West Ham move for the first time last month.
Duran has conceded there was a chance he was going to move to the London Stadium.
He also admitted his burning desire to be the main striker coupled with a lack of patience means he may still want that at another club.
Duran has been getting the starts he craves at Villa of late.
But Unai Emery has ruthlessly demanded more from the ex Chicago Fire forward, once again giving a glimmer of hope he might be sold by Villa in the near future.
That may be more wishful thinking than hope for the Hammers, with the likes of PSG and Barca now reportedly interested.
Now there has been a major Duran boost for West Ham ahead of January but the FA could intervene on the Aston Villa star.
But it’s not necessarily the boost the Hammers might have dreamed of.
Major Duran boost for West Ham but FA could intervene
After the move to West Ham broke down in the summer, as inevitable as death and taxes Duran scored the winner against them when coming on as a sub in the first game of the season.
Today Duran got a start he has been yearning.
But he was sent off for Villa in a 3-0 defeat at Newcastle for ‘stamping’ on Fabian Schar.
Video replays of the incident show the sending off may have been extremely harsh.
Although Duran is a hot-headed character, it is hard to say conclusively whether he meant it, either way.
The red card means West Ham will be relieved that Duran will miss the big FA Cup game against them on January 10th.
But Emery has confirmed Villa will be appealing the red card – so Duran may yet face the Hammers.
The Villa boss also believes Duran’s desire to show the improvements he is demanding of him resulted in the incident.
And he thinks Duran’s reputation as a fiery character preceded him.
“That’s three matches now out (for Duran), maybe it is because it is Jhon Duran,” Emery told Birmingham Mail post match.
“We are trying to teach him and get of him as well a good way and he is doing this effort. He is doing the way we are trying to get of him. The referees have to be fair as well, taking time with the decision.
“Yes, it is a reputation. Clearly. He was saying so quick: ‘Sorry, sorry’. He had no intention in that action to kick him.”
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