Jhon Duran’s uncle aspires for the Colombian striker to join Real Madrid, but warns that without hard effort behind the scenes, this is unlikely to happen.

Duran, 20, joined his current club Aston Villa from Chicago Fire in 2023. Despite only starting three Premier League games and 38 substitute appearances, Villa struggled to retain him this summer.

Despite interest from Chelsea and West Ham, the striker has remained at his current club and is off to a strong start this season. His four league goals for Unai Emery’s squad have come at a pace of one per 39 minutes, including wins against West Ham and Everton.

Barcelona was reportedly interested in signing the South American player, who had participated in both of Colombia’s World Cup qualifiers that month. However, according to uncle Oswaldo ‘Sombra’ Duran, the necessary improvements might still see Barcelona’s main competitors come knocking.

“We are talking about a player who, if he has his feet on the ground, if he lets himself be guided by his advisors, will be very great because he is very young and is not yet mature as an athlete,” Oswaldo told Sport Witness, via Gol Caracol. “If his behavior was not ideal, that is natural; you must let him see it, and he will remedy it. Having character does not imply viewing or feeling that others are inferior to me.

“Not speaking to people is not in character for me, but since I am connected to him and have known him since I was a child, we believe that we have already accomplished everything, and because he is young, he may suddenly believe so, but I have complete trust that he will change his behavior.

“Jhon Jader is still a 20-year-old lad with a lot of space for development. When he starts, he will be one of the leading scorers in any league he plays in. God bestowed upon him virtues that he must cultivate, such as his aerial game and ability to go behind defenders’ backs. Let’s hope the next sale goes to Real Madrid.

Duran faced criticism for making a West Ham gesture during a live webcast this summer. The Hammers attempted to recruit the teenager but instead signed Germany striker Niclas Fullkrug, who has suffered with an injury incurred on international service.

Villa rejected 40 proposals for the striker throughout the summer. He has proven his quality in limited time on the pitch, competing with Ollie Watkins for starts. In addition to his four Premier League goals, Duran scored in a 2-1 Carabao Cup triumph over Wycombe Wanderers.

“Unai is very confident with Jhon Duran,” Villa’s president of football operations, Monchi, stated in early September. “I’m really confident. He aims to become one of the world’s top strikers within the next year. He is 100% persuaded.

So, what’s the problem? We also have Ollie Watkins, and Duran wants to play. He thinks he’s better than Watkins. That is common since each athlete believes he is superior than his teammates. Managing Watkins and Duran is difficult, but it is ultimately beneficial to the squad. “Having two big strikers is preferable to having one.”

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