- Jhon Duran was one of the stars of the Aston Villa season, scoring twelve goals
- The club has been willing to sell the 21-year-old for the past two seasons
- Listen to It all starts! Why Manchester United may have to sell Kobbie Mainoo or Alejandro Garnacho
Paris St Germain believe they can convince Aston Villa to sell Jhon Duran this summer or even as soon as this month.
The Colombian was one of the stars of Villa’s season, scoring 12 goals, but the French champions are cautiously optimistic he is within reach, even if a mid-season deal could prove extremely complicated.
PSG are desperate for a centre-forward and Duran are high on their targets.
Duran only signed a new contract until 2030 last October, which included a huge pay rise, and it seems inconceivable that Villa would sell him without securing a replacement.
They would also demand a price that would put Duran behind only Jack Grealish, who joined Manchester City for £100 million in 2021, on the club’s record sales list.
Villa want to sign Donyell Malan from Borussia Dortmund, but the Dutchman is not an orthodox centre-forward and instead operates in a number of roles on the front line.
Jhon Duran has had a breakthrough year this season, scoring twelve goals for Aston Villa so far
PSG believe they can convince Villa to part ways with the 21-year-old Colombian striker
The French champions are keen to sell Ran Kolo Muani and are said to be willing to include the striker in a deal for Duran
PSG are trying to advance Randal Kolo Muani and would like to involve the French internationals in any discussions about the 21-year-old Duran.
Villa were willing to sell Duran in each of the last two windows, but he has since become a central figure for boss Unai Emery. Duran replaced Ollie Watkins as Villa’s first-choice No. 9 before being sent off at Newcastle on Boxing Day, carrying a three-match ban.
But Villa also have to take Premier League spending rules into account and they would make a huge profit on Duran, who they bought for around £15m two years ago. Selling Duran before June 30 would have a significantly positive impact on Villa’s profitability and sustainability (PSR) calculations as they look to stay on the right side of the line.
Meanwhile, Villa transfer chief Monchi attended the La Liga match between Rayo Vallecano and Celta Vigo, with Celta defender Oscar Mingueza on Villa’s radar. The former Barcelona player has a release clause of around £17 million and earns just over £20,000 per week.