West Ham are pushing to agree a fee with Aston Villa for striker Jhon Duran.
The Hammers have identified the Colombian international as a prominent transfer target as they look to bolster their attacking ranks for next season under new head coach Julen Lopetegui.
Standard Sport understands that West Ham are in the process of attempting to strike an agreement with Villa, but there remains a difference between the Premier League clubs in terms of their respective valuations of Duran.
Villa remain adamant over their £40m asking price for the 20-year-old that has remained the same all summer, but West Ham are reluctant to go that high as they try to reach a compromise.
Reports from multiple outlets on Thursday evening claimed that the Irons had now offered £30m for Duran plus teenage midfielder Lewis Orford - who has entered the final 12 months of his current Hammers contract - in part-exchange.
The Athletic reported that West Ham already had an agreement on personal terms for a five-year contract with Duran, who is currently on holiday following Colombia’s run to the final of the recent Copa America tournament in the USA, where they lost to Argentina.
Duran has scored eight goals in 49 appearances across all competitions for Champions League-bound Villa since joining from Major League Soccer (MLS) side Chicago Fire in an £18m deal in January 2023, but has just three Premier League starts to his name having been stuck firmly behind England’s Ollie Watkins in the striking pecking order under Unai Emery at Villa Park.
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Chelsea also held an interest in the player both in January and at the start of the summer as they seek new forward additions of their own, but also deemed Villa’s asking price to be too high.
West Ham have switched focus to bolstering their attack after completing the £40m signing of centre-back Max Kilman from Wolves to follow the additions of Brazilian winger Luis Guilherme and goalkeeper Wes Foderingham.
Flynn Downes, Said Benrahma, Thilo Kehrer, Ben Johnson, Angelo Ogbonna, Divin Mubama, Nathan Trott, Joseph Anang and loanee Kalvin Phillips have all left West Ham, whom reports also claim are close to sealing the signing of Moroccan right-back Noussair Mazraoui - also linked with Manchester United - from Bayern Munich in a deal worth an initial £13.47m.
Villa, meanwhile, recently completed the sale of Moussa Diaby to Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad and have been extremely active in the transfer market so far this summer as they prepare for a first season at Europe’s top table since 1982-83 following a fourth-place finish last term.
The Villains made a significant splash with the £50m addition of midfielder Amadou Onana from Everton, while Ross Barkley and Jaden Philogene have both returned to follow the arrivals of Ian Maatsen, Samuel Iling-Junior, Enzo Barrenechea, Cameron Archer and Lewis Dobbin.
Douglas Luiz, Philippe Coutinho, Morgan Sanson, Tim Iroegbunam, Viljami Sinisalo and Calum Chambers have all left Villa Park, meanwhile, along with departed loanees Nicolo Zaniolo and Clement Lenglet.
