It’s officially official now- Colombian international Jhon Duran, 19, is off to Aston Villa. As we reported yesterday, the Chicago Fire are set to break their transfer fee record, for the sale of an individual player, for the second time since August.
The Sports Bank broke the story yesterday morning, and it has since been confirmed by both clubs. The statement from Premier League club Aston Villa can be found at this link.
Duran moves over for a fee of $18 million, plus a potential $4 million more in performance-based incentives and add-ons.
It breaks the Fire club record, set only this past summer, with the sale of goalkeeper Gaga Slonina to Chelsea for $10 million, plus a potential $5 million in add-ons.
The striker’s statement is below.
“From the moment I signed with the Chicago Fire, everyone welcomed me with open arms,” said Durán.
“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.”
In his lone season with the Fire, Durán registered 11 goal contributions in 1,363 minutes played in 2022, including a team-high eight goals.
The statement from Chicago Fire FC Sporting Director Georg Heitz reads:
“We’re very pleased to have reached an agreement with Aston Villa for the transfer of Jhon Durán.
“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 had been linked with the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea, before ultimately deciding on the Villans.
The Fire are coming off a season in which they missed out on the MLS Cup playoffs for the fifth straight year. Villa are currently 11th place in the league table.
Good luck to the young man and happy January transfer window everybody! For more info on this transaction go here.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
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