Latest Aston Villa news from BirminghamLIve as the Claret and Blues striker makes headlines
For all the euphoria surrounding Aston Villa’s sensational come-from-behind victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday, one man – a young one at that – took it all in his stride.
Jhon Duran was filmed strolling back into the Villa Park dressing room with an insouciant shrug of the shoulders, giving off the air ‘that’s what we do’. One-nil down to 3-1 up in the blink of an eye.
Or more accurately the swing of a boot, after all it was Duran’s arrival for John McGinn in the 71st minute that sparked Villa’s comeback.
First he forced Sam Johnstone into a low save, then he left the former Villa goalkeeper clutching at thin air as he lashed a thunderous shot into the roof of the net from 16 yards to make it 1-1.
That’s his third in eight games this season and that contrasted with Ollie Watkins’ struggles in front of goal has led some to suggest the 19-year-old should not only start games – but should be the club’s main striker.
Not for the first time has that call been made, indeed when he was in the swing at MLS outfit Chicago Fire the Columbian went on a run of five in four games that led then coach Ezra Hendrickson to predict a very, very bright future – and to suggest he is already ready to become first choice No. 9.
“He is a player that, once he gets it all together, he can be a really, really special player,” Hendrickson said in October 2022. “He has all the tools.
“I can see why teams are very interested. The kid has shown what he can do at a very high level. He’s come into a situation where he’s basically had to carry the team on his back as far as the goal-scoring production goes, and I think he’s handling that very, very well. You know, still not quite the finished product but he has a ceiling.”
Villa signed Duran just a couple of months later, despite connections with the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool and while he is yet to start a Premier League game – the bang he keeps providing off the bench is starting to prove Hendrickson right.