Jhon Duran signs new Aston Villa contract
- Duran commits his future to Aston Villa
- Striker came close to leaving Villa Park during summer transfer window
- Red-hot form has attracted interest from elsewhere
By Tom Gott
Aston Villa have confirmed that in-form striker Jhon Duran has signed a new contract with the club.
20-year-old Duran, who joined from Chicago Fire in January 2023, has enjoyed a red-hot start to the season which has yielded six goals in just over 300 minutes of competitive action, attracting interest in his services from across the globe.
Indeed, both Chelsea and West Ham United explored deals for Duran during the summer, while Real Madrid and Barcelona have both been touted as potential suitors, but Villa have moved to end the speculation by tying Duran down to fresh terms.
Villa did not confirm the duration of Duran's new deal but reports suggest he has committed his future to the club until 2030.
Duran is likely to remain on the radars of Europe's elite but Villa are now able to demand a significant fee for his services, having initially set an asking price of £40m, which looks like a real bargain in hindsight.
The Colombia international recently named Bayern Munich as the "club of his dreams" but appears focused on continuing to grow his reputation at Villa Park for the foreseeable future.