Chelsea could sign Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran this summer.
It was recently claimed that Chelsea have broadly agreed a £40m deal with Aston Villa for Jhon Duran.
With the Blues finishing last season with Nicolas Jackson as the only recognised centre-forward in their squad, they probably do need to strengthen in that position.
However, there really is another No.9 who they should be considering signing over Duran.
Why do Chelsea want Jhon Duran?
Looking at Chelsea’s recent transfer strategy, it is easy to see why the club are targeting Duran.
In recent transfer windows, Chelsea have signed young players with potential. At 20 and already playing in the Premier League, Duran obviously fits the criteria.
Last season, the Colombian only managed to score five goals in 23 top-flight appearances. However, he only made three starts in total.
As per FBref, Duran has actually ranked in the 99th percentile for non-penalty goals per 90 minutes among forwards over the last year. Since he has not been starting games for Villa, that may be a fairer way to judge him.
The above is promising if you are Chelsea’s recruitment team, but you cannot help but feel that someone like AS Roma’s Tammy Abraham, for example, would be a better signing.
Chelsea should sign Tammy Abraham instead of Jhon Duran
Turning 27 this year, Abraham is a much more mature striker than Duran. He would add experience to a Chelsea squad that currently lacks it.
The England international has proven that he can do it in the Premier League, scoring 15 goals in 34 appearances back in the 2019/20 season, and could cost half of what they are likely to end up paying for Duran.
According to The Telegraph, sources in Italy believe that Abraham could cost just £20m this summer.
His former manager Jose Mourinho described him as “ambitious” after deciding to leave England for Serie A. But maybe now could be a good time for him to return to the Premier League and his former club.