It is no secret that West Ham are after a striker, as it seems in every transfer window they are linked with multiple forwards but they never seem to materialise.
It could even be said that the Hammers have been having striker problems for over 30 years and that Tony Cottee and Frank McAvennie were the last really successful talismans at the club.
With the big money signings of Sebastian Haller & Gianluca Scamacca in recent windows not working out, the club will have to be sure the money they spend on a number nine this time is worthwhile at last.
Yet again, West Ham are being linked to numerous forwards and as reported by ExWHUEmployee, their number one target is Aston Villa's Jhon Durán.
The club has seen multiple offers rejected by the Champions League side with their latest being reported by ExWHUEmployee to have been closer to the £40 million valuation.
It is yet to be seen whether another offer will be put in but as reported by multiple sources Durán has already agreed personal terms with West Ham and he has stated publicly that he wants the move.
At the start of the window Durán was linked with a move to Chelsea, but nothing came of this as the Blues seemed to be hesitant to meet the £40 million price tag set by Villa.
West Ham also seem to be reluctant to pay the figure Villa are asking for but, with Durán seemingly wanting to move to the London club, a deal could be struck in the coming days.
Furthermore, Durán's agent said this week on ESPNDeportes that "There is great interest from West Ham, we have been talking to them and the club."
As well as his agent, Durán also spoke to ESPNDeportes and said ,"That my name is being mentioned by such big teams, it is very important for my career. I'm happy that there are these rumours & lets hope that something concrete happens."
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What could you expect from Durán if he were to sign:
The Colombian first caught the eye when he was playing for Chicago Fire where he scored 8 goals in his first season. The six foot one forward is very strong and can play as a hold-up striker but can also get in behind as he is a very mobile player.
Durán is also well known for having incredible ball striking abilities which he has showcased at Villa on multiple occasions. Durán has featured 49 times over the two seasons he has been at Villa Park scoring 8 goals in all competitions.
At only the age of 20, the Colombian's potential is off the charts and with Michail Antonio turning 35 next year & Danny Ings turning 33, it is definitely time for the Hammers to bring in a younger striker.
With Jarrod Bowen predominately playing up front last season scoring 20 goals in all competitions, the signing of Durán would mean that Bowen could go back to playing in his favoured right wing position.
If Durán was to sign, Antonio's position would be under threat as one of the main attractions for the Villa striker is that he would most likely be starting up front each week for the East London club.
With Julen Lopetegui now being the head coach for the Hammers, the 4-3-3 system that he likes to play would benefit Durán as he will have players such as Mohammed Kudus and Bowen around him who can cross balls into the box.
As well as that, players like Lucas Paqueta and James Ward-Prowse will benefit the 20 year old as they can play line cutting passes in behind defences which he could get on the end of.
Lopetegui likes strikers who float around the final third and pull defenders away, so with Durán being versatile, this suits him to the tee.
It is clear that the Colombian needs to score more goals but starts have been hard to come by as he only managed to be in the starting lineup for Villa three times last season.
If the South American was to sign, he would need to improve his discipline, as this is seen as one of the main weaknesses in his game with him picking up 7 yellow cards in all competitions in the 2023/2024 season.
However he has many strengths such as being an aerial threat, his finishing as previously mentioned, his ability to win fouls and his defensive contribution.
Undoubtedly, the £40 million fee that the Hammers would have to pay is a lot of money but, in this current market, if they can get the striker through the door and scoring many goals it has the potential to be a bargain and could maybe end West Ham's 30 year wait for a quality striker.
