Jhon Duran is on Chelsea’s striker shortlist (Getty)
Chelsea are giving serious consideration to a bid for Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran before next week’s transfer deadline, according to reports.
Duran joined Villa in an £18 million deal from MLS side Chicago Fire last summer but the 20-year-old is yet to start a game in the Premier League this season, with Unai Emery preferring Ollie Watkins as his central striker.
The Colombia international has scored two goals in 24 appearances in all competitions and has attracted interest from West Ham, who saw their offer of a loan with an option to buy rejected by Villa this week.
However, Duran is also on Chelsea’s shortlist and according to The Telegraph, Mauricio Pochettino’s side are ‘weighing up an offer’ before the transfer window closes next Thursday.
The report claims that Duran is keen to secure more playing time, although Chelsea will not be able to guarantee this to the Villa striker.
Jhon Duran joined Aston Villa in an £18m deal last summer (Getty)
When asked about Duran’s future earlier this month, Unai Emery said: ‘He is playing and he is being important, he is young. We need experiences and he is here having experiences with us.
‘We need a second striker because we have to try to be strong in our squad with two players per position. It is [Ollie] Watkins and Jhon Duran.
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‘I am working with him a lot, his commitment is progressively better.
‘When we talked about the decision to sign him one year ago, the process we are doing with him is it.’
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Chelsea are weighing up a surprise move before the window closes.