Yahoo News Chelsea make final decision over Jhon Duran transfer
Chelsea's interest in Aston Villa forward Jhon Duran has reportedly 'receded', with the likelihood of a deal being struck this summer diminishing.
Villa had been approached by their Premier League rivals over the 20-year-old's transfer availability last month, with permission given for personal terms to be discussed. Whilst Duran is a highly-rated individual, the club were not going to stand in the way of their back-up striker's exit if someone was willing to meet his £40m price tag.
An added facet of this deal was the club's need at the time to raise funds to help comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). That deadline has now passed, with the belief now being that Douglas Luiz's sale was enough to ensure Villa remain within the lines of the Premier League's loss limit.
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So, with pressure to sell gone and the £40m price tag still remaining as it is, The Athletic now claim that the Blues' interest in the Colombian is 'receding'. This follows weeks of uncertainty as they did due diligence over a number of attacking targets, the most likely of which to arrive now they say is Atletico Madrid's Samuel Omorodion.
For the striker signed only 18 months ago from Chicago Fire for £14.75m, his transfer to Chelsea could have seen Villa land a profit of over £25m - good business for a player who has only made 10 starts from 49 appearances.
Now once returned from Copa America duties and his summer break, Unai Emery will have the task of reintegrating a player who has flirted with a move to the club who are allegedly pulling out of the deal, so therefore could be disappointed. The alternative would be to find another suitor, with West Ham named as a potential destination more recently.
