- Jhon Duran joined Villa from MLS side Chicago Fire for £18m in January 2023
- The 20-year-old has scored five Premier League goals in 23 appearances
- Lewis Orford was part of West Ham’s FA Youth Cup-winning squad in 2023
Aston Villa have rejected West Ham’s improved offer of £32m plus 18-year-old midfielder Lewis Orford for striker John Duran.
The 20-year-old scored five Premier League goals last season but started just three of his 23 appearances.
Durán has 10 caps for Colombia and was part of the team that lost 1-0 to Argentina in the Copa America final. However, he only played 13 minutes in the second group stage of the tournament.
West Ham’s Orford, who is also reportedly offered the job, is an England youth international and made six EFL Trophy appearances for the club’s academy.
The 18-year-old was also part of the Hammers squad that won the FA Youth Cup in 2023.
Aston Villa have rejected a £32m bid plus Lewis Orford from West Ham for John Duran
New Hammers manager Julen Lopetegui is looking to bolster his attack ahead of the campaign
Hammers youngster Lewis Orford was part of West Ham’s bid for Duran.
His current contract at the London Stadium is due to expire next June and there have been no new offers on the table.
Last month, Duran was linked with a move to Chelsea, although Villa’s £40m valuation proved to be a stumbling block in negotiations. Earlier this year, fans noticed that Duran had been frequently ‘liking’ Chelsea-related posts on social media.
Duran moved to Villa in January 2023 when he joined from MLS side Chicago Fire for a transfer fee of £18m.
In January, Mail Sport revealed that manager Unai Emery and his player sometimes disagreed, with the 20-year-old thought to be frustrated with decisions to substitute him at various points during Villa’s European campaign.
