West Ham are ready to improve their offer to sign Aston Villa forward Jhon Duran as the Londoners look to meet a valuation in excess of £40m.
The Hammers have seen an opening offer turned down for Duran but are preparing a new proposal, with the Colombia forward keen on the move to the London Stadium.
Duran was previously a transfer target for Chelsea who remain interested in signing a centre-forward this summer but West Ham are pushing to beat their London rivals to his signature.
The 20-year-old impressed amid limited involvement at Aston Villa last season and is keen to secure regular first-team opportunities.
Duran scored five Premier League goals in just 463 minutes of league football in 2023-24, averaging a goal every 92.6 minutes. He scored twice in a thrilling draw with Liverpool at Villa Park and also netted the club’s Goal of the Season with a spectacular strike against Crystal Palace.
The Athletic are reporting that West Ham could offer academy youngster Lewis Orford as part of the package. Orford was part of the club’s FA Youth Cup-winning team in 2022-23 and has won eight caps for England at u-18 level.
