Aston Villa and West Ham United close to transfer agreement

Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran is finally set to leave the club following the news that a deal is very close to being agreed with fellow Premier League team West Ham United.

Aston Villa value the Colombian international at £40 million which is why Chelsea backed out of a deal earlier in the transfer window. West Ham have held an interest in the forward for months however and have seen initial approaches rejected due to falling under Villa's valuation.

Today's developments have seen the talks accelerate quickly and now a deal is very close. Duran has reportedly agreed verbal terms with the fellow claret and blue club and the actual deal between the two clubs is almost complete. As Fabrizio Romano states, West Ham have offered £32 million PLUS young talent Lewis Orford in order to reach the original valuation of £40 million.

The news of a player-plus cash deal comes as quite a surprise to the Villa fans as this never seemed to be an option, especially as Villa's squad is at its maximum capacity and a deal for Joao Felix to replace Moussa Diaby and Jhon Duran is in progress. However, the surprising news will be a pleasant surprise for the fans and a hard one to take for West Ham fans who will see their brightest young talent leave the club. Hammers fans have mostly expressed disappointment over letting Orford, England U18's captain, leave the club as he is rated very highly and thought to have a bright future ahead.

Who is Lewis Orford?

Described as the 'next Declan Rice' Orford is a player that has been with the Hammers since he was five-years-old and made his Premier League 2 debut last year after playing a vital part in the club's FA Youth Cup victory in 2022. He has also been involved in the first-team senior squad, sitting on the bench during a 3-0 victory away to FCSB in the UEFA Conference League group stages.

Villa are long-term admirers of Orford and saw an approach for the teenager turned down earlier this summer. Unai Emery and his team will be delighted that Orford is part of the deal that will see Jhon Duran head to the London stadium.

The midfielder has played eight times for England U18s and captained the side against Morroco in the last game. He has played alongside some of Villa's top young talents in the England set up such as Tristan Rowe, Kadan Young, Sam Proctor and Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba.

It is highly likely that Orford will join the Aston Villa academy and may even be sent out on loan in the near future. Orford is certainly a player that Villa fans can look forward to seeing on the pitch in years to come.

With regards to Jhon Duran, his exit comes with a sour taste in the mouth for Villa fans due to the young forward's determination to make a deal happen. His comments online and general attitude during his time at Villa Park has turned fans against him and the vast majority are glad to see the back of him. Duran scored 8 goals in 49 appearances for Aston Villa with his best goal coming in the 3-1 win over Crystal Palace in September 2023, a goal that was voted as Aston Villa's Goal of the Season.

UTV