ThewolfWith every week that passes, West Ham United’s failure to sign Jhon Duran from Aston Villa becomes more and more heartbreaking.
Jhon Duran would have taken West Ham to another level entirely with his explosive pace and finishing ability, there’s no doubt in my mind about that.
Julen Lopetegui tried, and failed, to bring the 20-year-old Aston Villa striker to the London Stadium, but he had to settle on Niclas Fullkrug instead.
At one point, it seemed like Duran joining the Hammers was a formality, after he did the ‘crossed hammers’ sign during a live stream.
However, we just couldn’t meet Villa’s demands for the Colombia international in the end – believed to be north of £40 million.
West Ham had spent so much money in the summer that we were flirting very close to the edge regrading new PSR guidelines.
That said, I believe that the Hammers’ inability to meet Duran’s asking price was all their own fault.
Things could have been so different if the powers that be at the club thought outside the box.
Jhon Duran could be at West Ham now if J-Lo signed ex-Hammer
Whilst Lopetegui made numerous top-class signings in the summer, I believe he made one glaring error – one that will prove to be extremely costly.
Lopetegui brought Luis Guilherme to the London Stadium from Palmeiras for around £25 million in the summer.
In fact, he was our first summer signing. However, he’s still yet to play a single competitive minute for the senior side.
Now, I get that signing the 18-year-old was a calculated risk from the Hammers, in the hope that he will become a superstar and we can sell him for three times the amount we paid for him.
Whilst Guilherme may well come good in a few year’s time, he’s no help for us right now, and that’s why Lopetegui should’ve made a different call in the summer.
I think West Ham should have just signed Felipe Anderson on a free transfer instead.
The 31-year-old has moved out to Palmeiras, ironically, and has bagged two goals and an assist for his new club already.
The former Hammer was a free agent, and had Lopetegui signed him instead of Guilherme, the club would have had the funds to bring Duran to the London Stadium.
Why West Ham didn’t do that really frustrates me actually, it would have been so simple.
I’m not saying that Anderson would have started every week, but he’d have provided very solid cover and competition for our wingers.
West Ham need Jhon Duran desperately
I still think we should go back in for Duran either in January or next summer.
The fact of the matter is that he’s not going to get into Villa’s side ahead of Ollie Watkins, and there’s no way a player of his quality should be warming the bench.
Whilst some of the biggest clubs in Europe will undoubtedly be keeping an eye on him now, they may want to see him produce the goods for a couple of years in the Premier League first before taking the plunge on him.
That’s where West Ham come in.
If Villa want £50 million for him, we should just pay it.
Sell Lucas Paqueta and bring Jhon Duran to West Ham – it really is that simple.
As mentioned earlier though, whether the competition for his signature will be too strong for us now remains to be seen.
It’s just such a shame that we didn’t sign him when we had the chance earlier this summer. The decision to sign Luis Guilherme seriously hindered us from bringing Duran to East London.
Thewolf
BadboyMusty
