Arsene Wenger says January transfer ‘surprised’ him after failed Arsenal approach

Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says helium was ‘surprised’ by Jhon Duran’s big-money determination from Aston Villa to the Saudi Pro League successful January.

Duran, 21, was conscionable opening to marque a sanction for himself successful English shot with Villa, scoring 12 goals successful the archetypal fractional of the season, contempt playing 2nd fiddle to Ollie Watkins for the astir part.

But the Colombian made nary concealed of his grievances implicit a deficiency of regular playing clip nether Unai Emery and his aboriginal was the taxable of aggravated speculation passim the January transportation window.

Several apical sides were alerted to a imaginable determination for Duran, including Barcelona and West Ham, portion Arsenal reportedly made an attack for the young striker.

But Al-Nassr jumped to the beforehand of the queue for Duran’s signature with the deadline approaching and went connected to hold a woody worthy successful the portion of £64million for the forward.

Since signing connected the dotted line, Duran has enjoyed a imagination commencement with his caller club, becoming the archetypal subordinate to people doubly connected their Al-Nassr debut since the Saudi Pro League’s rebrand successful 2008.

Wenger enjoyed Duran’s treble successful Al-Nassr’s 3-0 triumph implicit Al-Fayha but admits the attacker’s determination to power teams midway done the play came arsenic thing of a surprise.

‘Duran is simply a young player. He played astatine Aston Villa wherever helium was adored and loved,’ Wenger told Al-Nassr’s authoritative website during a sojourn to the nine this week.

‘It was a astonishment that during the season, from the Premier League, helium moves to the Saudi Pro League.

‘But congratulations, they person done a bully occupation there.’

Wenger has been impressed by Al-Nassr’s improvement successful caller years, with the nine successfully capturing the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane and Aymeric Laporte anterior to Duran’s arrival.

‘For me, Saudi and Al-Nassr person large coaches,’ the iconic Frenchman, who presently serves arsenic FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, added.

‘They person large players, they person a satellite fig figure 1 with Cristiano Ronaldo, who is an illustration for each young player.

‘So the basal ingredients are determination to bash good and to make well.

‘Overall, I would accidental large club, large players, large unit and, of course, fiscal imaginable arsenic well.

‘But much than everything else, it is linked with bully decisions and, to me, they marque bully decisions here.’

Facing the media aft his eye-catching debut, Duran said helium was ‘very happy’ to beryllium capable larn from five-time Ballon d’Or victor Ronaldo astatine Al-Nassr.

‘I’m precise blessed to stock the transportation and larn from the champion jock successful the world,’ helium told reporters.

‘For me, helium is the biggest prima successful shot and I americium precise blessed to larn from him.

‘Scoring with the shot king is similar playing a vocation successful FIFA.’

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