‘The real deal’ – Arsenal urged to ‘take a chance’ on former Chelsea and West Ham target

Arsenal have been urged to ‘take a chance’ on Premier League star Jhon Duran following his superb start to the season for Aston Villa.

Duran, who was linked with Chelsea and West Ham over the summer, has scored five goals in eight games so far this season, helping Villa continue their impressive form after they finished fourth last term.

Manchester United legend Dwight Yorke says Duran, 20, already looks like ‘the real deal’ and believes a top side like Arsenal should ‘take a chance’ on the Colombian.

Duran has only made 41 appearances in the English top-flight but Yorke already rates him as one of the best strikers in the Premier League, along with Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland and Villa team-mate Ollie Watkins.

While not an issue at present, Watkins’ significant influence at Villa Park could have ramifications for Duran further down the line as he is yet to start in the Premier League this season, with Unai Emery facing a battle to keep both strikers happy and satisfied with their game-time.

As a player who Yorke regards as ‘a bit different from the rest’, Duran would not be short of potential suitors and could be an option for title-chasing Arsenal.

Despite recommendations from several pundits, Arsenal failed to sign a new striker over the summer, with Kai Havertz continuing to impress up top and finding support from the returning Gabriel Jesus.

But Yorke says the Gunners are still lacking an ‘outstanding number nine’ and believes Duran would be an ideal addition to Mikel Arteta’s squad.

Asked who he rates as the best strikers in the Premier League, Yorke told Prime Casino: ‘I think Erling Haaland, he’s the No. 1 for sure.

‘I think Ollie Watkins will get a mention, because he’s consistent. And the third one, I like another boy at Villa – Jhon Duran.

‘He looks a real handful and a bit different from the rest. He’s got that good presence about him. I would take a chance on him, he looks like the real deal.

‘What I look for is people who are hungry, and he’s got that. In terms of the big boys, Arsenal haven’t got an outstanding No. 9.

‘At Liverpool, I like Darwin Nunez and people go on about him missing chances, but I like his presence and what he brings.

‘He needs to get a bit more confident in front of goal. He’s got all the attributes. He’s still relatively young and can only get better.

‘I also like Alexander Isak. There’s the guy at Ipswich, Liam Delap, he’s a real surprise player.

‘Watching him against Villa the other day, I was really impressed, he looks a handful. You can’t just go by one game, but he looks a threat.’

Arsenal are currently third in the Premier League – one point behind early pace-setters Liverpool – as they look to end a 21-year wait for a league title.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.