Fabrizio Romano has given the sombre stamp of approval that Aston Villa supporters will continue to shake their heads over: Douglas Luiz has agreed to personal terms with Juventus ahead of a summer transfer.
The demand to comply with Premier League profit and sustainability (PSR) rules illustrates why Villa, who qualified for the Champions League with a brilliant fourth-place finish, need to part with one of their standout players, but it stings nonetheless.
For all of Unai Emery's remarkable work in uniting an outfit that had previously fallen by the wayside under Steven Gerrard, now shaped into one of the most slick and stylish squads in Europe, Luiz must be sold, for Villa are beset by the bleak repercussions of ambition.
While the Brazil midfielder has been deemed financially expendable, Monchi and Co have engineered a deal that has seen Samuel Iling-Junior and Weston McKennie gear up to take flight from Turin and move to Villa Park, with Luiz's actual sale only bringing in €20m (£17m) in cash.
He's not the only one to be heading for the exit, though, with Jhon Duran also heavily linked with a move away – and for a pretty penny too.
What Aston Villa paid for Jhon Duran
In January 2023, three months after Emery was welcomed to Villa Park, Duran was signed from Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire in a £16m deal, with the talented striker armed with fearsome physical strength and sharp technical quality both.
He had scored eight goals and supplied six assists during the 2022 MLS season, and while he wasn't publically stated to be Danny Ings' replacement, who was sold to West Ham United for £15m soon after, he was evidently landed to bolster the frontline and provide cover for Ollie Watkins.
Talent scout Jacek Kulig had praised the "complete" forward for his fast, powerful and aggressive style of play, and while he's caught the eye during his time in England's Midlands, Duran may indeed now be on the move.
Jhon Duran's Aston Villa performances
Duran played a part as Aston Villa qualified for the Europa Conference League at the end of the 2022/23 campaign but he would leave his finest Villan performances for the forthcoming campaign, making 12 off-the-bench appearances in the Premier League but failing to score or assist.
However, the trappings of future success were there, discernible. Duran might be erratic at times but he's got all the athletic prowess of a cheetah – and it's predatory instinct too.
Last season, his football was far more fruitful, with eight goals plundered across all competitions, including five strikes in the Premier League despite only starting three times.
One of the other prominent features of Duran's skill set is undoubtedly his tenacious defensive approach, with workrate and commitment that opens up an entire new dimension for his teammates to thrive upon.
To evidence this, just take a look at Duran's FBref metrics, encapsulating the rounded, protean ability that he brings to the table. Aged only 20, there is a giddying amount of potential just waiting to be channelled.
Non-penalty goals
0.95
Top 1%
Shots total
3.79
Top 9%
Aeriel duels won
3.79
Top 14%
Tackles
1.14
Top 14%
Blocks
1.14
Top 7%
Clearances
1.89
Top 1%
The 6 foot 3 Duran, whose strong-framed musculature is indeed used to complement his finishing ability and enhance his team's defensive efforts, is starting to look like something special.
He's an immense talent, yes – his captain, John McGinn, has described him as a "nightmare to play against", while the aforementioned Kulig has since labelled him a "phenomenal" player after producing some masterful attacking displays as a Villan.
He has a very good chance of forging a prosperous Premier League career for himself in the years to come, but unfortunately, it doesn't look like it will be glad in Villa claret.
Jhon Duran's market value in 2024
While Villa would rather not sell anyone with the Champions League lingering just around the bend, PSR must be adhered to, lest Emery's side fall foul to the same point-deducting fate of rivals like Everton and Nottingham Forest.
Cashing in on Luiz will get the ball rolling, so to speak, but it's not going to alleviate the full weight of Aston Villa's struggle. If Chelsea make good on their interest in Duran, however, last season's high-fliers will be in a good position to start preparing for an offensive on Europe's elite.
A separate report from The Times this week has revealed that the Colombia international has been pinned to a price tag of £40m, which would mark an impressive £24m hike in price after Villa paid for his services around 17 months ago.
To put it another way, if Chelsea do decide to act on their growing interest in the £30k-per-week Lions forward, Villa would make a 150% profit on the player, having only handed him three starting berths in the English top flight.
It would technically make him worth more than two times more than Luiz, whose departure is albeit being mixed with the anticipated arrivals of two Old Lady players, but it is nonetheless a testament to Duran's meteoric rise.
The best part is that it's probably not even detrimental to Emery's plans. Duran is a talented player but no one is bigger than the club and the Spaniard will have the trust of the supporters to redirect recouped funds toward other, exciting new targets .
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