Unai Emery is convinced he can turn striker Jhon Duran into one of the world’s best.
The claim has been made by Aston Villa’s two recruitment chiefs who said they rebuffed FORTY offers for the 20-year-old this summer. As last season wore on, the Colombian international became increasingly frustrated by a lack of opportunity.
Ollie Watkins’s sparkling form ensured the powerful forward would be left kicking his heels on Villa’s bench. But Emery has no intention of allowing the youngster, who he bought for Ł15m from Chicago Fire in January last year to leave. Instead he wants to nurture and grow his talent.
And Villa’s president of football operations, Monchi, explained why, saying: “Unai is very confident with Jhon Duran. Very confident. He thinks he can become one of the best strikers in the world in the next 12 months. He is 100 per cent convinced.
“So, what is the problem? We also have Ollie Watkins and Duran wants to play. He thinks he is better than Watkins. That is normal because every player thinks he is better than their team-mates. To manage Watkins and Duran is not easy but at the end it is the best for the team. If you have two big strikers it is better than only one.”
Watkins has yet to score for Villa this season, while Duran has already made two important contributions. He came off the bench to net the winner at West Ham. And then repeated the feat again by scoring with virtually his first touch of the ball against Leicester City.
Damian Vidagany, Villa’s director of football operations who works alongside Monchi, added: “In every team there are two very, very important positions. Every position is important, of course, but the keeper and the striker are two very specfic positions.
“If you have a great keeper, the second keeper can be as good as he can be - but it’s difficult to change. If you have Ollie Watkins, it’s very difficult to find someone better because he is a great striker, maybe in the top two or three in the Premier League.
“Ollie is a top professional and high-quality striker. So, did Duran want to leave the club? Yes. That’s normal because he wants to play. There were no fewer than 40 clubs who wanted Duran - because everyone wanted him.
"Jhon Duran is a 20-year-old boy and he knows what we know - that he has huge potential. He can be one of the best strikers in the world…period. Unai is giving him more minutes. And we have spoken to him. He’s training well - and he’s happy.
“If there is one club that really thinks Duran can become one of the best in the world, then that club is Aston Villa and that manager is Unai Emery.”
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