West Ham make substantial offer for Aston Villa forward amid striker shortage

West Ham United have reportedly tabled a bid exceeding £30 million for Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran as they seek to address their current attacking crisis. The Hammers are facing a shortage of fit forwards, with recent injuries to Niclas Fullkrug, Michail Antonio and Jarrod Bowen leaving new manager Graham Potter with limited options up front.

According to reports, West Ham’s offer for the 21-year-old Colombian was swiftly rejected by Aston Villa, who view the bid as falling well short of their valuation. However, Duran is said to be open to a move to the London Stadium in search of more regular playing time.

The young striker has impressed in limited minutes this season, scoring 7 goals in just 4 Premier League starts. His potential has not gone unnoticed, with Paris Saint-Germain also reportedly interested in his services.

While Villa manager Unai Emery has praised Duran as a “special” talent, the forward has found consistent starts hard to come by behind first-choice striker Ollie Watkins. With over four years remaining on his £75,000-per-week contract, Villa are in a strong negotiating position and would likely demand a significant fee to part with the promising attacker.

As West Ham look to climb the table under Potter, securing reinforcements up front appears to be a top priority this January transfer window. Whether they return with an improved offer for Duran remains to be seen, but the Hammers seem determined to bring in attacking reinforcements in the coming weeks.