Chelsea ‘broadly agree’ £40m striker deal - Aston Villa 'ask' about signing defender
- Chelsea reported to have reached broad agreement over Villa striker Duran
- Blues could pay up to £40m to sign Colombia international
- Ian Maatsen the latest to be linked with a move to Villa
By Tom Gott
Chelsea have reached a broad £40m agreement with Aston Villa over the signing of Jhon Duran, according to reports, with Ian Maatsen a target for Unai Emery's Champions League hopefuls.
The Blues want a new striker this summer and walked away from Napoli's Victor Osimhen due to the cost of a deal, before failing to convince Benjamin Sesko to leave RB Leipzig - he instead signed a new contract until 2029 that includes an agreement to leave in 12 months.
Duran, a target from the January transfer window, quickly returned to the fray and the Telegraph report that while there are still obstacles to overcome, broad terms of a £40m transfer between the two clubs have been agreed.
Chelsea have been granted permission to speak with Duran and, alongside contract negotiations, club officials are conducting background checks on the 20-year-old to ensure he has the right character for the squad.
The plan is not to hand Duran a bumper contract, but rather a long-term deal that would give the young striker the chance to increase his earning through his performances on the pitch.
Villa are also keen to sign a player from Chelsea this summer, but financial restraints mean they will only do so if Duran's move to Stamford Bridge goes through.
Initial contact between the two teams was sparked through interest in midfielder Conor Gallagher, who remains available for the right price as he approaches the final year of his contract, although recent reports suggested Chelsea may now try to keep Gallagher around.
Villa are understood to have 'asked' about left-back Maatsen, who has returned to Chelsea after his loan with Borussia Dortmund expired.
The Bundesliga giants are keen on keeping the Dutchman, who was called-up to the Netherlands' Euro 2024 squad after Frenkie de Jong and Teun Koopmeiners were ruled out through injury, but will not trigger his £35m release clause - opening the door to clubs like Villa to join the discussions.
Champions League hopefuls Villa are also in the process of selling key midfielder Douglas Luiz to Juventus, in exchange for just shy of £20m in cash and Weston McKennie and Samuel Iling-Junior.
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