‘Wants the move’ - Aston Villa prepare move £46m Chelsea star as they make plans for possible £59m exit

Highly-rated Aston Villa forward Jhon Duran is believed to be edging closer to a blockbuster £59m move to Al-Nassr as the Saudi Pro League giants work frantically to try and find Cristiano Ronaldo a new strike partner.

The Colombian forward’s future at Villa Park has been the subject of rampant speculation throughout both of the last two transfer windows with West Ham submitting unsuccessful bids to land the 21-year-old in both the summer and January.

Meanwhile, Champions League hopefuls Chelsea, title-chasing Arsenal and French leaders Paris Saint-Germain have also been keeping close tabs on Duran, who is rapidly becoming one of the most sought after youngsters in European football.

Why Europe’s elite are queuing up to sign Jhon Duran

Jhon Duran joined Aston Villa in January 2023 for a reported figure of around £14.5m. At the time, the young forward was far from the finished article but had showcased glimpses of his potential in his homeland for local side Evigado FC and MLS outfit Chicago Fire.

After an initial bedding-in period which saw the Colombian fail to score in 12 matches from the bench, Duran became an important part of Unai Emery’s team and a useful option to change the game from the bench. He scored eight times in 37 appearances across all competitions - including a notable brace against Liverpool on the penultimate game of the Premier League season.

Duran has long been regarded as a top talent and this season he has taken his game to new heights with a combined total of 12 goals in 29 appearances, with the vast majority still coming from the bench.

The 21-year-old is blessed with explosive speed, physicality, an excellent first touch and a unique ability to strike the ball from distance as displayed by his match-winning goals against Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig and Everton among others.

"My expectation of him is so high,” Said Unai Emery.

“He now needs time to build and gain in his capacities at the high level he wants. In terms of his potential, I don't know exactly where he can finish. But we are working with him to exploit his capacity in the process.”

Duran is seeking regular first team football and has already agreed personal terms with Al-Nassr, according to reports from The Athletic.

Aston Villa prepare move for potential Jhon Duran replacement

Jhon Duran, for the second consecutive transfer window, faces an uncertain future at Aston Villa, and with the Colombian international potentially heading for the exit door at the West Midlands it has become increasingly clear that the Villans will need to sign an alternative to compete with Ollie Watkins.

TBR Football report that this player could be 45-time Portuguese international Joao Felix, who was the subject of immense interest from Unai Emery during the summer window.

The 25-year-old has struggled for game time ahead of the likes of Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson at Stamford Bridge since arriving in the summer, and is reportedly seeking more first team football.

TBR explains: “Chelsea forward Joao Felix wants a move to Aston Villa before the window shuts. Talks over a deal have taken place between the two clubs during conversations over the transfer of Axel Disasi in recent days.”