Chicago Fire forward Duran set to join Aston Villa for $18m

Aston Villa has agreed phrases with the Chicago Fire on the acquisition of Colombia worldwide forward Jhon Duran, the Premier League side announced on Monday.

A supply with direct information of the deal informed ESPN that the Fire will obtain a switch charge of $18 million assured, with one other $4m if sure efficiency metrics are met, a file for the membership.

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The Fire can even obtain an undisclosed share of any future switch. Colombian aspect Envigado, the place Duran began his skilled profession, can even get an undisclosed lower of the charge.

The deal is contingent on private phrases being reached with Duran, in addition to him passing a medical and securing a piece allow.

If the incentives contained within the deal are met, the switch charge will probably be among the many three highest in MLS historical past, behind the $26m Newcastle United paid for Miguel Almiron in 2019, and degree with the $22m Bayern Munich paid to the Vancouver Whitecaps for Alphonso Davies throughout the identical window.

Duran, 19, had reportedly been on the radar of Liverpool, Chelsea, Benfica and Manchester United, but it was Villa who received the race for the extremely rated Colombian. Combined with the sale final August of goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina to Premier League aspect Chelsea for upwards of $15m, the Fire might obtain as a lot as $37m mixed from the 2 transfers.

Duran is at the moment in Colombia getting ready to participate within the 2023 South American under-20 Championship. Colombia is in Group A alongside Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Peru, and can open the event on Thursday towards Paraguay.

The Medellin native made his skilled debut again in 2019 with Envigado.

The supply added that Duran caught the attention of Fire scouts in 2020 after they had been scouting one other participant. He was transferred to Chicago in January of 2021 for a charge of round $2m with the assistance of MLS’s U22 initiative that enables such gamers to have a decreased hit on a crew’s wage finances. At the time of the deal, he was the youngest worldwide signing in MLS historical past.

He remained in Colombia with Envigado for one other season earlier than spending the 2022 marketing campaign with the Fire, the place he tallied eight targets and three assists in 28 league and cup appearances, although that manufacturing got here in simply 1,442 minutes on the sector. Seven of these targets got here after July 1, sparking a surge in curiosity from abroad golf equipment.

Those performances with the Fire allowed Duran to make his worldwide debut for Colombia final September towards Guatemala. He has since made substitute appearances towards Mexico and Paraguay.