ThewolfWest Ham United chased Jhon Duran throughout the summer transfer window, but he remained with Aston Villa in the end.
Jhon Duran has made an electric start for Aston Villa this season, and the West Ham fans are up in arms after Julen Lopetegui failed to bring him to the London Stadium.
At one point in the summer, it seemed for all the world that the 20-year-old Colombian would join the Hammers, especially after he did the ‘crossed hammers’ sign during a live stream.
The transfer saga dragged on and on, and in the end, Lopetegui made the decision to pursue a move for Niclas Fullkrug instead.
Right now, that looks like a horrendous decision. The 31-year-old German has struggled to adapt to the speed of Premier League football, and he’s currently out injured.
However, new information has now come to light regarding the Hammers’ protracted pursuit of the South America star.
Fabrizio Romano’s stunning new West Ham Jhon Duran bid claim
Whilst Duran is ripping it up for Villa and going from strength to strength, Hammers summer signing Niclas Fullkrug is out injured with an Achilles and calf problem.
How I wish the Hammers had signed Duran. However, it now seems like there was a very good reason why we didn’t manage to do that.
Fabrizio Romano suggested via his Daily Briefing on 27 September that Villa always ‘said no’ to the Hammers’ offers for Duran.
However, here’s the interesting part…
West Ham apparently offered £43 million for the 20-year-old Villa hitman, plus a percentage of any future sale.
Villa rejected that offer.
So, if what Romano claims is true, I’m not surprised at all that we didn’t sign Duran in the end.
Jhon Duran to West Ham never had a chance of happening
At the time, it was reported that West Ham were willing to pay around £32 million for Jhon Duran, plus Lewis Orford, with Villa said to be holding out for around £40 million.
It seems now like the west Midlands outfit probably wouldn’t have accepted a fee less than £50 million for the Colombian.
And that kind of money would have put him out of the Hammers’ price-range.
It’s such a shame that West Ham didn’t manage to sign Jhon Duran in the end – he undoubtedly would’ve taken us to another level.
Who knows, Fullkrug may still come good for the Hammers, but as things stand, it seems like we might have made a terrible mistake.
That said, Romano’s new claim makes the fact that we missed out on Duran slightly easier to swallow.
BadboyMusty
Thewolf
admin