La Liga giants Barcelona met with representatives of Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran last month in a bid to learn the requirements that could facilitate a potential summer transfer, according to a report from Spain.
Duran has impressed for the Villans this season, despite primarily coming off the bench early on. He matched his previous season’s tally of eight goals by October and, after a brief dry spell, netted four times in December before a red card against Newcastle interrupted his resurgence.
The 21-year-old’s strong performances earned him a new contract with Villa, extending his stay until 2030. The long-term deal was aimed at deterring interest from rival clubs, including Chelsea and West Ham United, but Barcelona remains keen on the player.
As reported by the Spanish outlet SPORT, Barcelona sporting director Deco met with a representative from J7 Sports, Duran’s agency, for an informal discussion. During the meeting, it was revealed that Duran would be “excited” to join Barcelona, although he is not the club’s top priority for the striker position.
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, in-form Sporting CP forward Viktor Gyokeres, and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko have all been mentioned as alternative striker options for the Blaugrana. Following his contract extension, Villa are expected to demand a fee between £50m and £60m for Duran, a huge increase from the £40m he might have commanded last summer.
Barcelona, meanwhile, continue to grapple with financial challenges, risking the loss of Dani Olmo and Pau Victor on free transfers after failing in their bid to re-register both players for the latter half of the season, following the expiration of their temporary registrations.
Despite these difficulties, the Blaugrana’s financial position is improving. The club recently achieved compliance with the “1:1” spending rule, allowing them to reinvest every euro they earn, which could make them more competitive in the transfer market moving forward.
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