Barcelona could rob Aston Villa of their brightest young talent

Unai Emery is currently facing a tough decision as to who the striker no. 1 in Aston Villa must be. Ollie Watkins began the season as the team’s best hitman, but Jhon Duran has started to take minutes away from him in recent weeks. Unfortunately for Villa, Emery may not be forced to make the tough decisions next season.

That’s because Barcelona are already considering a move for Duran next summer. According to Sportofficials from the Catalan giants already met with the 21-year-old forward’s representatives several weeks ago.

Nothing is imminent between Barcelona and Duran, but he is a potential target for the club when the summer transfer window opens.

It is easy to understand why Hansi Flick’s side are interested in signing a young goalscorer. Robert Lewandoski still leads the line for the club, but he will be 37 next season. His days as the focal point of an elite club’s attack are clearly coming to an end.

Duran has scored seven goals for Villa in just one 18 games in the season. 14 of those appearances have come from Emery’s bench, making his goals all the more impressive. He has delighted his club’s fan base with his ability to turn games in Villa’s favor as a substitute.

If Barcelona want to pry Duran away from the Premier League side, they will have to make a significant financial offer. The scintillating forward is signed until 2030, meaning Villa will feel no pressure to let him leave. Barcelona are likely to have to pay upwards of $70 million if they want to get a deal done.

It may seem an unlikely sum for a club under such severe financial pressure to play. Barcelona’s financial picture could change dramatically between now and the summer. Getting rid of a few players could free up enough cap space for them to bid big on Duran. If that happens, the striker’s days at Villa could end much sooner than Emery had hoped.