Aston Villa have confirmed that Jhon Duran has signed a new contract, which will potentially keep him at the club until 2030.
It’s been quite the journey already for the 20-year-old since he arrived in January 2023 from Chicago Fire, as although his potential and talent have never been doubted, he struggled in his first season and a half to produce consistently and earn a bigger role under Unai Emery.
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Speculation was rife over his future this past summer as he was heavily linked with an exit and drew criticism for some of his off-the-pitch antics, but ultimately he remained at Villa and he hasn’t looked back since having made a brilliant start to the campaign.
Duran has scored six goals in 10 games across all competitions thus far after a slow start to life at Villa Park, and as per the club’s official statement, the Colombian international has now put pen to paper on a new contract that extends his stay with us until 2030.
In addition to his decisive impact on the pitch, the comments from Emery and his teammates over the past month or so have also built belief and confidence in his ability to become a pivotal member of this squad.
Many have now spoken about a new focus and determination that they’ve seen in Duran since he returned for pre-season training, and so it certainly feels as though he has turned a corner and is now on track and repaying the faith shown in him by Emery, who has never wavered in his backing of the young striker.
The ongoing challenge for Duran is to maintain his level of consistency and continue to push for a starting berth in the coming months, but as Villa continue to compete across multiple competitions in search of silverware and further success, he will have a vital role to play as he continues to push Ollie Watkins, and perhaps even partner him when required.
Nevertheless, the fact that Villa have offered new terms and looked to secure his future says a lot about how highly they value and regard him, and so it’s an important and positive development from the club’s perspective.
It’s been some turnaround for Duran over the last few months, but it’s hoped that with his early-season form in mind coupled with his decision to commit to us in the long term, he has a bright future ahead of him in a Villa shirt and can continue to fulfil his potential under the guidance of Emery.
