Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has provided insight on Jhon Duran amid ongoing speculation regarding the talented youngster in recent weeks.
The 19-year-old has made 12 appearances so far this season, scoring four goals, and he is a key option in the squad as cover for Ollie Watkins up front.
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However, he hasn’t featured in the Premier League since our 6-1 win over Brighton on September 30, while he hasn’t even made the squad for the last two outings and there’s doubt that he will be involved on Sunday against Nottingham Forest.
He did feature off the bench against AZ Alkmaar in the Europa Conference League just over a week ago, but off the back of the international break there was speculation that there was perhaps more going on.
Reports in Colombia appeared to be largely based on his Instagram activity given he removed all things related to Villa, but that isn’t exactly the most trustworthy or watertight source for news.
Emery has now spoken at greater length about the Colombian international, and while he suggested that a toe injury might rule him out again this weekend, he has a challenge ahead to develop Duran into a reliable option who can perform at the highest level on a consistent basis.
“With Jhon Duran, I have my challenge as a coach with him,” Emery said, as per The Athletic. “He is young and his potential could be great, to be the level of one of the better strikers in the world in the future. But it is about trying to build and to do a process with him. He is still young and getting experience. Each training day here is important to him for when he is facing each match, to feel comfortable and face the level of the players we are facing.
“Sometimes he has had some small injuries and not been consistent in the last weeks to be available. I don’t know for this Sunday.
“I don’t know,” Emery replied, asked if Duran is frustrated by the lack of minutes, having yet to start a Premier League fixture. “Of course, Ollie Watkins is playing with big performances. I am not close to playing both together. In some moments they have but it depends on each one and the players how they are, whether they feel good and comfortable playing together.
“It is a challenge every day, in practice and when he is facing each match, how he faces each centre-back in the Premier League.”
It is clear that Emery rates Duran highly, but whether it’s a mentality or attitude issue, or simply that the adjustment and adaptation has been more difficult for the Colombian, is unclear.
Either way, the Villa boss is evidently challenging himself and his forward to realise his potential and ensure he becomes a top player, but that requires the necessary work and consistency on and off the pitch to make it to that level.
The example is being set for Duran by his teammates all around him. Emery has developed and improved almost every player in the squad since he took charge, and that in turn has subsequently turned us into a much more competitive side.
If Duran fully buys in, understands the demands being made of him and delivers, he’ll hopefully continue to become an increasingly important part of the group. Emery is clearly ready to be patient, as he has insisted from the minute Duran was signed that he needed time, but it remains to be seen just how long that patience lasts.