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Arsenal have seen an opening bid of £46m rejected out of hand for Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran.
Duran is enjoying an eye-catching second season in the Premier League after joining Villa in January 2023, though is still yet to nail down a regular starting spot, with Unai Emery favouring Ollie Watkins up front.
Having only made three starts in all competitions since the start of the campaign, Duran already has eight goals to his name and the 20-year-old’s performances have caught the attention of Europe’s elite.
Reports last month suggested both Arsenal and Barcelona had enquired over Duran’s potential availability ahead of the January transfer window, but Villa are in no hurry to part with the Colombia international.
The likes of Chelsea and West Ham were also credited with an interest in Duran throughout in the summer before the forward put pen to paper on a new contract, extending his stay at Villa Park until 2030.
However, it appears Arsenal are pressing ahead with their pursuit regardless, testing Villa’s resolve with an offer in the region of £46m for Duran, according to Colombian outlet Antena 2.
It’s claimed Villa ‘recently said no’ to the proposal from Arsenal, though, with Emery’s side demanding a fee in excess of £70m for the attacker and refusing to back down on this figure.
Duran’s grievances over a lack of game-time boiled to the surface when he was taken off in the second half of Villa’s Europa League victory over Bologna last month, with the youngster seen kicking a chair in frustration.
But in a recent interview with Sky Sports, the former Chicago Fire star insisted he was ‘very happy’ at Villa and confident of achieving ‘big things’ under the guidance of Emery.
‘There are [moments of] love and hate, sometimes! But no, I feel very grateful to him, very grateful to him and his coaching staff,’ Duran said.
‘We’ve had many problems, but they’re normal, I think.
‘The truth is, I’m very happy to be here with him, to share the space with him, to learn from his teachings. He wants to teach me all the time. He’s protective, sometimes.
‘Sometimes it happens, and there are sparks! So we’re constantly fighting! But I think it’s normal for a young man of my age, and a person like him who already knows a lot, who has already achieved so many things.
‘The truth is, I feel very, very grateful to be in this space, and that he’s a person as great in football as he is. To learn more from him every day, and I’m very happy with him here.
‘Yes, sometimes we argue. Because he has his point of view, I have mine, and I’ve never been the one who stays quiet. If I have something to say, no matter who it is, I say it.’
With Arsenal enduring a difficult spell at this early stage of the season, Patrick Vieira believes Duran could be the man to help turn the club’s fortunes around.
‘I loved his performance against Bayern Munich,’ the legendary ex-Arsenal captain told bettingexpert.com last month.
‘He’s the right player for Arsenal – quick, unselfish, solid in the air, technically skilled, and intelligent in his movement.’
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