West Ham’s desperate search for a new striker has taken a sickening twist in more ways than one as reports emerge from Aston Villa.
While Niclas Fullkrug has started to show glimpses of what he can do with game time at West Ham, a new forward is still desperately needed.
Especially since the Hammers lost captain Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio.
Most observers would think signing a striker would be bottom of Aston Villa’s priorities.
With Ollie Watkins and West Ham target Jhon Duran, Aston Villa are spoilt for choice.
Yet Unai Emery and Monchi are raising eyebrows with their reported activity as they appear intent on making moves for several new forwards in the January transfer window.
Hammers fans are still angry their club did not pay Villa’s asking price for Duran when he made it clear he wanted the move.
The Colombian did the crossed Hammers on a live social media video when speculation was rife he was on his way to east London.
That infuriated Aston Villa fans but in the end he remained at the club after Tim Steidten decided to spread his £45m forward budget over the signings of Fullkrug and Luis Guilherme.
Duran’s redemption arc at Villa has been nothing short of sensational – including scoring some absolutely breathtakingly good goals.
Shock Duran talks sickener for West Ham emerges from Villa
The 21-year-old also rather inevitably struck the winner against West Ham when coming on as a sub in the opening game of the season.
West Ham go to Villa on Friday night in the FA Cup but Duran won’t play after picking up a three-game ban.
It was recently claimed West Ham still have a long-term plan to try and sign the Aston Villa star.
A journalist claimed Duran remains a long-term target for West Ham because the club believe his desire to be an undisputed main striker could eventually play into their hands.
Relations between Duran and Unai Emery have at times been strained.
Duran was honest on his failed West Ham move just over a month ago.
He conceded there was a chance he was going to join the Hammers.
Villa’s striking January plans gave Hammers Duran hope
And he even admitted his desire to be the main striker coupled with a lack of patience means he may still want that at another club.
West Ham were given a glimmer of new hope over Duran when it emerged that Aston Villa are eyeing moves for three new forwards this month.
Now there has been a huge development which proves that correct.
But it’s actually a major double blow for the Hammers.
Because a shock Duran talks sickener for West Ham has emerged from Aston Villa.
If West Ham believed a deal was still potentially there to be done for Duran, then it seems they were right.
Hammers suffer crushing double Duran and Muani blow
Except now another club is beating the Hammers to it.
And using one of West Ham’s other reported striker targets as a makeweight.
Villa were linked with a move to hijack West Ham’s own interest in PSG outcast Randal Kolo Muani.
While that was a blow to West Ham, it was seen as proof the Hammers might just be able to get another shot at Duran.
But widespread reports now claim that PSG are due to hold a meeting with Aston Villa this week for talks over a potential swap deal involving Muani and Duran.
TEAMtalk state PSG are willing to offer a substantial sum plus Muani in exchange for Duran – a rumour that first emerged in the Spanish press last month.
So not only could West Ham miss out on Muani to Villa, they will also miss out on a second shot at Duran as a direct result.
That will leave Hammers fans feeling even more demoralised about the decisions taking in the summer.
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