Aston Villa confirm transfer of Jhon Duran from Chicago Fire
By Chris Smith
Aston Villa have announced they've completed the transfer of Colombian striker Jhon Duran from the Chicago Fire.
The two clubs already revealed they'd agree terms last week, with only personal terms and a medical left in the way of completing a deal.
But Villa have now confirmed the transfer of Duran, 19, for an undisclosed fee, believed by 90min sources to be $18m rising to $22m in bonuses.
Aston Villa is delighted to confirm @JhonDuran991 has completed a permanent transfer from Chicago Fire for an undisclosed fee! 🙌
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) January 23, 2023
90min understands Villa had to beat off sustained interest from Portuguese giants Benfica in order to agree a deal for Duran, who also attracted interest from clubs across Europe's top leagues.
“From the moment I signed with the Chicago Fire, everyone welcomed me with open arms,” Duran said last week when the news broke. “I’m grateful to my teammates, coaches, Club staff, and the fans for all the support I received this past year. The Fire and the city of Chicago will always have a special place in my heart.”
Fire director George Heitz added in a club statement: “When we originally scouted Jhon as a 16-year-old, we knew that he had the potential to become one of the top young strikers in the world.
”Jhon’s rapid development is a testament to his hard work and the investment from our coaching staff and many individuals throughout the Club. Additionally, this transfer is another example of the benefits of the MLS U-22 Initiative, which was a key factor in our ability to sign Jhon two years ago.”
Duran - capped three times for his country at senior level - has enjoyed a stellar debut year in MLS in 2023 after arriving from Envigado in his homeland for up to just $2.5m, scoring eight goals and providing six assists in 28 appearances across all competitions, including five goals in his last five MLS regular season outings.
Duran's departure follows the sale of goalkeeping talent Gabriel Slonina, who signed for Chelsea in a deal worth up to $15m in the summer before spending the rest of the 2022 MLS season back on loan at Solider Field. Should both players hit their full potential, Chicago could receive $37m in transfer fees.