Chelsea thought I was too expensive four months ago – now I’m worth twice as much’

Chelsea may lose millions as a result of their summer transfer disaster.

Chelsea considered spending £40 million to acquire Jhon Duran in the summer, and they might now have to pay the price for abandoning that plan.

The striker for Aston Villa has been on a fast track this season, and on Wednesday night, his bold finish helped the West Midlands team defeat Bayern Munich in the Champions League, adding momentum to his already burgeoning reputation.

Duran’s Premier League striking rate this season—one goal every 39 minutes—is unmatched by anyone, not even Erling Haaland. When compared to the Colombian’s 40% conversion rate, the Manchester City striker performs second best, which is especially surprising considering the variety of goals the Villa player scores, like his long-range screamer against Everton last month.

Duran is still second fiddle to Ollie Watkins at Villa Park, despite his heroics in front of goal. However, he might not be around for long because elite teams will undoubtedly show interest in January.

Villa, who would make a huge return on the £18 million they paid to Chicago Fire nearly two years ago, will offer them all top dollar. Indeed, reports indicate that Duran has been given an £80 million price tag in advance of the winter transfer season.

Chelsea missed the chance to sign Duran for half that amount in the summer, so it would hurt to cough up that mouthwatering amount if they rekindled their interest.

After a protracted scouting phase, the story came to a head in June when the Blues were granted authorization to negotiate personal terms with the 20-year-old. In order to improve their profitability and sustainability position, Villa was reportedly eager to sell, but the idea never got any farther than that.

West Ham’s intense desire was also in vain, and Villa can now count their lucky stars. Although there were rumors of attitude issues during the previous season, Villa captain John McGinn asserts that the young player has his act together and is showing results on the field.

The Scotsman said in August that he had been harsh on him the previous season. “Only regarding his demeanor and how he can enhance it, but to be honest, I’ve been pleasantly impressed. I believe that the way he has handled everything has also pleasantly surprised the players and coaching staff.

“We are starting to see glimpses of the world-class striker that he possesses.” He doesn’t appear to have been impacted by anything during the summer. Perhaps he has finally realized something. It’s wonderful to see that he is now much more approachable and professional toward the personnel.”