If soccer was like basketball, then Jhon Durán would've likely locked up the Sixth Man of the Year award less than two months into the European season.
Aston Villa dispatched Young Boys in its first Champions League game since the 1982-83 season. In matchweek 2, super-sub Durán scored the lone goal in the 1–0 victory over Bayern Munich at Villa Park—sending fans into a frenzy and bringing back memories of Aston Villa's European Cup championship in the 1981-82 season—ending Bayern Munich 41 game unbeaten run in the group and league phase of the competition.
SUPER-SUB JHON DURÁN PUTS VILLA AHEAD AGAINST BAYERN FROM DISTANCE 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Dn53Tsg55Y
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) October 2, 2024
The 20-year-old Colombian striker seems appalled at the idea of not scoring goals coming off the bench. He's scored six goals in Villa's first nine games of the season with only one of those coming as a starter. In the Premier League, he's the joint top goalscorer for the team with four. What's most impressive is that he's done it without starting a single game out of Villa's six thus far. He's played 157 minutes in the Premier League season, averaging a goal per 40 minutes played.
Teammate Morgan Rogers weighed in on the super-subs magical run of form: "He's unbelievable," Rogers said about Durán post-match.
"He's such a threat and such a problem, a real handful. I am so glad he is here. He is winning us games at the moment and long may it continue.”
There were reports over the summer about a possible move to West Ham United and Chelsea. However, Aston Villa stood its ground and kept Durán. Two months later and goal after goal, the Colombian has grown exponentially, firmly cementing his status as one of the most promising young strikers in Europe.
Get to Know Jhon Durán, the Striker Stealing the Spotlight for Aston Villa
Durán is a product of the Envigado FC academy, a Colombian first division team that has produced famous Colombian players like James Rodríguez and Juan Fernando Quintero. He made his professional debut at 15-years-old in 2019 and became the youngest player in club history and the second youngest in Colombian professional soccer to score a goal in the country’s league.
In Jan. 2021, Durán became the the youngest international signing in MLS history when Chicago Fire after the club scouted him by mistake. He made his debut with the club a year later when he turned 18. He became the third player in MLS history to score three braces before turning 19, joining Eddie Gaven and Ricardo Pepi.
His strong performance in the MLS caught the attention of many European clubs but it was Aston Villa who unloaded £18 million to acquire Durán in Jan. 2023 setting a record fee for a Chicago Fire player. He was Unai Emery’s second signing in charge of the club. As of writing, he averages a goal every 80 minutes played in the Premier League, the second-best average ever for players with at least five goals, only behind Manchester City star Erling Haaland.
The Medellín, Colombia native has played 12 games for the national team scoring once. He was part of the squad that took World Cup champion Argentina to extra time in the 2024 Copa América final.
After missing the 2022 World Cup, Colombia is undergoing a generational change that is starting to pay dividends. La Sele is second in the CONMEBOL qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, and Durán is beginning to get more minutes. Colombian media and fans have touted him as one of the most promising players of this new generation. If he continues his ascent, he might be undeniable by the time the World Cup comes around when Durán is 22-years-old.
Aston Villa is back in action on Oct. 6, when it hosts a struggling Manchester United. Manager Unai Emery will surely have to think hard about giving Durán his first Premier League start of the season, or if it's better not to tamper with his "super-sub" role.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jhon Duran's Outstanding Form for Aston Villa Garnering International Spotlight.
