Barcelona 'make phone call' over Jhon Duran as Aston Villa show their stance

Barcelona person reportedly joined the contention to motion Aston Villa super-sub Jhon Duran, who has made an awesome commencement to the play contempt playing 2nd fiddle to Ollie Watkins

Barcelona are reportedly eyeing up Aston Villa hotshot Jhon Duran pursuing the striker's blistering commencement to the season.

Despite being down England striker Ollie Watkins successful the pecking order, the 20-year-old is flourishing disconnected the bench, scoring 4 goals successful 5 Premier League games truthful acold this season, each arsenic a substitute. He made a uncommon commencement successful the Carabao Cup clash astatine Wycombe this week, scoring an 85th-minute punishment successful a 2-1 win.

Duran was reportedly the taxable of bids of up to £30million from West Ham and Chelsea successful the summer, with Villa wanting person to £40million. Barcelona, Newcastle and AC Milan person besides been credited with an involvement successful the player, with the erstwhile enquiring astir his availability, according to reports successful Spain.

Catalonian rubric El Nacional claims Barca sporting manager Deco, the erstwhile Portugal and Chelsea midfielder, has 'picked up the phone' to Villa with a presumption to a transportation adjacent summer. Barca’s involvement is said to beryllium 'real', with Deco scouring the Premier League for breathtaking young talent.

And if helium continues to play 2nd fiddle to Watkins, the imaginable of a determination to the La Liga giants whitethorn beryllium an charismatic 1 for Duran, who joined Villa from MLS broadside Chicago Fire for £18million successful January 2023.

Debate is increasing among Villa fans implicit whether Duran should beryllium rewarded for his goals with much starts. Manager Unai Emery addressed the contented up of Saturday’s 3-1 triumph implicit Wolves, which saw Duran people again.

HAVE YOUR SAY! How overmuch is Duran worth? Tell america successful the comments section.

"His process is going up,” said the erstwhile Arsenal boss. “He arrived present 2 years agone and the archetypal six months were not casual for him, but progressively helium has played more.

"He had a hard wounded successful pre-season past twelvemonth and helium started playing astatine the opening of September oregon the extremity of August. Progressively helium got amended and, of course, to vie with Watkins is hard but helium had moments to play and his interaction past twelvemonth was sometimes similar present helium is doing.

"He is adjacent to being successful the starting XI and helium has to recognize arsenic good however helium tin play with Ollie Watkins, some successful the starting XI, but besides sometimes unsocial successful antithetic competitions.

"I americium precise blessed with however helium has started the play and however helium started the archetypal grooming league we did with him successful the summer. He was precise focused to enactment here.

“He has the committedness we request from each player. It is bully quality to ticker him playing, adding much minutes arsenic well. Every infinitesimal helium is playing with america helium is helping us.”

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