Aston Villa reject £57m bid for Jhon Duran from West Ham - with PSG also keen on Colombia striker
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Aston Villa have turned down a £57million bid from West Ham for Jhon Duran and insist the forward will not be sold this month.
Duran is Villa's top scorer this season with 12 goals though he may again be on the bench for Tuesday's Champions League match in Monaco, where Villa hope to take a significant step towards qualifying automatically for the last 16.
It is thought the latest offer from West Ham was nothing like high enough to merit serious consideration from Villa, who are unhappy with its timing, the day before a vital European fixture. The club's record sale was Jack Grealish to Manchester City for £100million nearly four years ago and Duran's value is not far short of that.
But Unai Emery insists he is seeking a way to play Duran and Ollie Watkins in the same starting XI, rather than choosing one or the other.
'I think I can find a solution for them to play in the starting XI together but they have to try to understand their roles,' said Emery. 'It is my challenge to get the best from them, individually and then collectively. That might mean playing them together, but we have to work on it from a tactical point of view.'
Villa defender Diego Carlos has not travelled to Monaco as the Brazilian is on the brink of completing a move to Turkish club Fenerbahce, who are managed by Jose Mourinho. Emery hopes to replace Carlos with centre-back Loic Bade, who is valued by Sevilla at about £27m.
Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran has scored 12 goals in all competitions so far this season
Duran made a Hammers gesture with his arms during an Instagram live during the off-season
Duran was sent off against Newcastle on Boxing Day for an apparent stamp on Fabian Schar
West Ham have struggled to find value for money for a striker over recent seasons. Sebastien Haller and Gianluca Scamacca are among those discarded after big-money moves.
But, with Niclas Fullkrug and Michail Antonio injured, the club are willing to back manager Graham Potter with funds to sign a forward - and Duran, a 21-year-old with a track record of scoring goals in England, is an attractive prospect.
Duran's form has also attracted interest from PSG but the French champions are more likely to make a move in the summer for a player Villa value at £80m.
Duran signed a new contract until 2030, including a huge pay rise, only last October.
