Rich_H Posted August 18 Share Posted August 18 9 minutes ago, maqroll said: If he stays, he will likely start some league matches against lower third opposition, League Cup matches, and early round FA Cup matches. If we get bounced down to the UEFA League, he'll probably get some starts in that as well. He will also feature plenty as a sub. He will have ample opportunity to show the world how good he is. No dropping down to UEFA in the new format, if your out your out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Keyblade Posted August 18 Popular Post Share Posted August 18 £40m? 1 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted August 18 Share Posted August 18 13 minutes ago, WHY said: There is no bouncing down the Europe League anymore under the new format. That's actually good news, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted August 18 VT Supporter Share Posted August 18 On 16/08/2024 at 00:24, LxYoungAVFC said: Too much speculation about attitude in this thread imo. On 16/08/2024 at 08:09, LxYoungAVFC said: Appreciate the meme-worthy picture. Honestly though. McGinn mentioned him in one interview and everyone is reacting like "oMg tHe cApTaiN sAiD hE's a NiGhtMaRe tO pLaY WiTh ". It's not that deep imo.... I mean. Did you miss the whole Irons thing? Hopefully this is all sorted and behind him now but it's completely ludicrous to criticise people questioning his attitude during the last couple of months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_AA_786 Posted August 18 Share Posted August 18 10 minutes ago, sidcow said: I mean. Did you miss the whole Irons thing? Hopefully this is all sorted and behind him now but it's completely ludicrous to criticise people questioning his attitude during the last couple of months. Agreed and we need to remember he's still relatively young, surrounded by ****head agents in a foreign country and not the most educated. He did his talking on the pitch and needs to keep doing it there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted August 18 VT Supporter Share Posted August 18 Who is going to be able to spend £40m on him AND make him their regular starter. Brentford if they sell Toney. Will Brentford match his own expectations? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted August 18 VT Supporter Share Posted August 18 9 hours ago, Pinebro said: Far from confident he stays still That performance would put eyes on him and not just from West Ham Yeah, I'm concerned Blues will come in with a bid too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theboyangel Posted August 18 Share Posted August 18 5 minutes ago, sidcow said: Yeah, I'm concerned Blues will come in with a bid too. Rattled? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted August 18 Share Posted August 18 Would be funny if West Ham ended up buying him but for like £15m more than they offered previously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daveburnside Posted August 19 Share Posted August 19 Id still sell him if we got a 40m offer. I just feel like its a matter of time before he spits his dummy again. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMcGrath_5 Posted August 19 Share Posted August 19 Quote Of course it was Jhon Duran who would score the winner against West Ham United. Of course it was Duran who would walk out of the London Stadium, the place he wanted to call home this summer, with big grey headphones on and singing in Spanish in a high-pitched voice. Of course it was Duran who would, an hour earlier, run towards the Villa supporters and point back and forth between them and his chest, before directing his two hands towards the floor. The clearest indication, some might think, that he would be staying despite the circus surrounding his future. Although given this is Duran, a more mischievous interpretation was that he was signalling his intent to stay here, at the London Stadium, with West Ham. In truth, no one can be entirely sure. Duran is firmly his own person, boasting the precociousness to change games that made him considered, internally among scouting circles and upon joining Aston Villa in 2023, among the world’s best teenage strikers. Chaos engulfs him; unpredictability is his best friend. “Big Jhon… he’s a bit nuts,” said John McGinn in May. “He’s a nightmare sometimes to have in your team. But he has moments of quality.” One game into a new campaign and McGinn’s assessment feels increasingly apt. Confirmation of Duran coming on as a substitute was met by murmurs from all sides of the ground. The Colombia international was the subject of a bid from West Ham in July worth £30million ($38.6m) plus teenager Lewis Orford and, having made clear his intentions to join them clear by making a crossed-arms gesture on Instagram mimicking West Ham’s club crest — something that made him the subject of an internal investigation at Villa — the away contingent offered only muted applause. Three weeks earlier, and back home in Colombia, Duran spoke publicly about wanting to leave Villa and was, in his words, “happy there are these rumours” regarding his future. “For me, it is a youngster’s mistakes,” said Unai Emery on Friday. “We have been speaking a lot with him about his commitment over the whole season, about being focused, about his development, respect and everything.” But here he was. Adjusting his baggy shorts, with tape wrapped around his fingers and a bandage on his right wrist, the 20-year-old replaced Ollie Watkins, who had played an hour — his first minutes of any kind since Euro 2024. He was understandably rusty and unable to benefit from West Ham’s openness on transition. Duran ran straight towards West Ham’s Konstantinos Mavropanos and, slightly strangely, high-fived him. Perhaps it caught Mavropanos off guard. Perhaps it was Duran showing he was laser-focused and keen to identify his direct opponent. There is a reason why Emery partly indulges Duran’s maverick tendencies. Remarkably, he averages a Premier League goal every 103 minutes, an impressive feat in itself even if it is aided by a small sample size, given he has only started three matches. Therein lies the issue behind his transgressions. He is an eccentric personality, who stands out in an age when players often speak in cliches if they say anything at all. Speak to those who know Duran and they will describe a young man, less than two years into living in a new country, who struggles with English and maybe, as a consequence, that intensifies his desire to keep himself to himself. Sometimes, a more gregarious side emerges, smiling and making innocent jokes, but he can come across as aloof. Yet there is no doubt from Villa’s standpoint that he wants to be the team’s talisman. More minutes, more games, more goals. Or as Emery put it, “he wants everything so quick”. “Sometimes he wasn’t being patient,” Emery said. “To be here fighting with Watkins for one position and seeing how successful Watkins’ career is here, it’s not easy. He was telling us his best option was to leave so he could play more for another club and fulfil his potential. I can understand it. We were always talking to him to help him.” “He’s a very lively kid,” said Amadou Onana, who scored after four minutes in the 2-1 victory. “He’s still taking (English) lessons. We’re trying to give a little push and help him.” Here in east London, Duran needed little direction. In some ways, the game was set up for him, with Villa profligate but still regularly creating chances. The next opportunity fell for Duran after he broke West Ham’s defensive line but, after opting not to square for Jacob Ramsey, he shot into the side-netting. But Duran is not a player who gives up easily. The storyline, for someone who longs to be the main character, was there to be written. Just over 10 minutes from time and a sweeping, one-touch move between three of Villa’s four substitutes was capped by Duran striking low and hard past Alphonse Areola. “He’s fully committed to his task,” said Onana. “He knows what he has to do. This season he’s going to be a very important player for us and I’m happy to have him in my team. Ollie is one of the best strikers in the country, without any doubt. Jhon Duran couldn’t have it any better.” In the away end, all was forgiven, with many supporters making ironic Iron-shaped gestures. Chants of his name prompted a boyish smile. Duran’s shoulders grew wider and he stood taller. He began instructing the imperious Ezri Konsa soon after, before leaning into Maximilian Kilman and falling to the floor, eating up a few seconds of remaining additional time. The night before, Duran’s Villa-related posts reappeared back on Instagram, the result of one of his frequent social media blackouts. Two weeks earlier, his representatives had flown into Birmingham for talks with Villa. Emery believes he has calmed since, though it is still not certain he stays. “There will be more rumours about him after his goal, but I believe in him. He’s very important to us,” said Emery. Perhaps it is fitting Duran’s future remains in doubt. Uncertainty always swirls around him, on and off the pitch. The only thing that is definite is his talent. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightoffyour Posted August 19 VT Supporter Share Posted August 19 17 hours ago, AshVilla said: 60m 16 hours ago, Steero113 said: £50m to go to Saudi, I'd be OK with, but strengthening a direct rival with one of the hottest prospects in Europe is not my idea of sensible business, FFP or no FFP. Didn't know City were interested Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted August 19 VT Supporter Share Posted August 19 The strange point of this wish for more game time is that he will probably get more pitch time here than with most other teams with serious ambitions. Even west ham won't really need him 1st choice till next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam2003 Posted August 19 Share Posted August 19 3 hours ago, Nigel said: The strange point of this wish for more game time is that he will probably get more pitch time here than with most other teams with serious ambitions. Even west ham won't really need him 1st choice till next season. I think he’d be first choice for West Ham right now. But he’s staying here it seems. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eligius Posted August 19 Share Posted August 19 3 hours ago, Nigel said: The strange point of this wish for more game time is that he will probably get more pitch time here than with most other teams with serious ambitions. Even west ham won't really need him 1st choice till next season. West Ham have just added another ageing slow forward to go alongside Antonio and Ings, I think Duran would be a starter at West Ham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troon_villan Posted August 19 Share Posted August 19 Did he really high five Mavropanos? haha I missed that while watching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa89 Posted August 19 Share Posted August 19 1 hour ago, Eligius said: West Ham have just added another ageing slow forward to go alongside Antonio and Ings, I think Duran would be a starter at West Ham. West ham have moved on, that's why they signed fullkrug. Chelsea might come back in for him now that the world can see Nicolas Jackson is still just as bad as he was last season and Nkunku isn't the answer either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jas10 Posted August 19 Share Posted August 19 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jas10 Posted August 19 Share Posted August 19 He’s such a character… makes a change. Antonio kept grabbing and holding Onana at a corner and Duran pulled him back and gave the referee a look Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delphinho123 Posted August 19 Share Posted August 19 Keep unless a ridiculous offer comes in. Game changer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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