Aston Villa legend's transfer warning rings true after more Jhon Duran heroics
Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran was on target again in their big win over Manchester City - and Alan McInally feels that further transfer interest in the Colombian is nailed on
by Dan Marsh · The MirrorAlan McInally says it's inevitable that Jhon Duran will attract further interest from the Premier League's big guns if he keeps firing for Aston Villa.
The Colombian striker, 21, was heavily linked with Chelsea in the summer transfer window and continues to catch the eye for Villa.
He now has 12 goals in 25 appearances this term after notching against Manchester City, who fell to a 2-1 defeat at Villa Park. Morgan Rogers grabbed Villa's decisive second after teeing up Duran for the afternoon's opening goal to cap a fine individual display.
It was Duran who dominated the narratives before said match, with McInally - a Villa legend - predicting there was plenty more to come from the frontman under Emery - but that would also in turn lead to further transfer interest.
"He's been fantastic Jhon Duran, he really has," the Betfair ambassador said. "He's still really young. It's hard to suppress that real massive energy that he has and put it into areas where he's going to cause a problem, but he certainly knows where the goal is, there's no question about that!
"I don't mind [him] being direct or being selfish as anything, I'm okay with that, it's just that you have to learn when to be selfish and learn when to be a team player, and under Unai Emery he will.
"It'll be interesting to see in January if there's the same interest in Jhon as there was in the summer. Hopefully with him signing a new contract that's going to put that to bed.
"But if he's not a starter and every time he comes on he plays such a huge part for Aston Villa, there'll [always] be clubs who are interested in goal scorers, good strikers, and someone can change a game for them.
"You can talk about any team in the Premier League [and] they'd love to have him. The good thing is he's at Villa."
Duran's form off the bench has put pressure on Watkins' place in the team, despite the fact that the England star was in red-hot form for Villa last year.
McInally reckons they could play together and but added that Emery's current selection conundrum is hardly the worst thing in the world. He said: "It's a lovely problem to have. As a manager, you make the big bucks by making the big decisions.
"He's certainly played a big part, Jhon. But Ollie Watkins is a successful international football player for England. And he's never let England down any time I've seen him play."
Don’t miss Alan Shearer vs Rachael Blackmore in Betfair’s Christmas Quizzing… Only Bettor, available to watch online now.
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