Jhon Durán

[Dave]

His potential at his age is way more than £40m imo. The big question is if he's both smart enough and patient enough to fulfil that potential.

I don't know if "patient" comes into it.

If he did get stroppy and that meant he ended up starting every game for say, West Ham or Leicester I don't think he'd end up with a worse career than if he spends the next two years getting twenty minute cameos for us. There's every possibility that might be better for his future.

I'd rather he kept scoring brilliant winners for us as a substitute, but I can easily imagine why he might prefer something else.

[VillaTim]

Fair play and hands up I might be wrong .
Mixed bag cameo missed a sitter but then finished off a wonderful move .
He does bring an energy and chaos onto the pitch that is invaluable.

[PeterWithesShin]

A year of Unai and CL football will be far better for him than a relegation battle at Leicester.

[AV84]

I think he'll go eventually. Unless Ollie gets injured or has a bad run of form, it's going to be difficult to take that starting spot, and I can't see him playing second fiddle until he's 23 or 24.

However, he's pretty much  guaranteed more game time this season, and if he can keep doing what he did today, then he'll get the attention of some other clubs, decent ones, and he likely will move to be a starter, and we'll get a decent price for him. But I think for this season, staying with us, is the best thing for him, personally and for his career.

[Dante Lavelli]

I think he'll go eventually. Unless Ollie gets injured or has a bad run of form, it's going to be difficult to take that starting spot, and I can't see him playing second fiddle until he's 23 or 24.

However, he's pretty much  guaranteed more game time this season, and if he can keep doing what he did today, then he'll get the attention of some other clubs, decent ones, and he likely will move to be a starter, and we'll get a decent price for him. But I think for this season, staying with us, is the best thing for him, personally and for his career.

Ollie would be about 33 by the time he’s 24, so there could be a natural transition from Ollie to Jhon.

[AV84]

There could/should be. I'm just not sure Duran will stick around that long if he's not the starter. We'll likely get this season out of him, but beyond that, who knows.

[PeterWithesShin]

He'll still only be 21 next summer. A good season and at worst we'll get a lot more than £40m and he'll have better clubs after him than dross clubs like West Ham, Leicester or Chelsea.

[Dave]

A year of Unai and CL football will be far better for him than a relegation battle at Leicester.

Perhaps. But it's also quite possible that the thing that would be perfect for him at this stage in his development is playing 90 minutes every week. And it's just very inconvenient that he happens to be at the same club as Watkins.

I don't think anyone would have said that what the 20 year old Grealish needed to become a great player was 15 minute sub appearances under Klopp at Liverpool, it was playing matches, even if they were matches under Bruce and Sherwood.

[AV84]

Yep, I've said it a few times but I think it's in his and the club's best interests for him to stay where he is this season. And we can both benefit from it massively next summer, all going well.

[Dante Lavelli]

There could/should be. I'm just not sure Duran will stick around that long if he's not the starter. We'll likely get this season out of him, but beyond that, who knows.

Agree.  That’s the big challenge, giving him enough games to keep him happy.  I actually think the fans need to be managed a bit too, Duran needs to start the odd game which will mean occasionally dropping Watkins.

[PeterWithesShin]

Archer showed that moving to a shit club and getting more minutes can do little for your career. Duran will play a lot more for us than 10 or 15 mins here or there this season.

[Goldenballs]

“There will be more rumours about him after his goal, but I believe in him,” his manager, Unai Emery, said. “I don’t know if he will stay.

“With every player we were open in case a big offer came in, and he is one of those players. We know his potential and we know if he is leaving the offer must be good for the club. But I don’t want him to leave"

[AV84]

There could/should be. I'm just not sure Duran will stick around that long if he's not the starter. We'll likely get this season out of him, but beyond that, who knows.

Agree.  That’s the big challenge, giving him enough games to keep him happy.  I actually think the fans need to be managed a bit too, Duran needs to start the odd game which will mean occasionally dropping Watkins.

I haven't looked at our fixtures beyond the first 2 weeks but you'd have to think if we've got the likes of Everton sandwiched between Bayern Munich and Liverpool, for example, Duran is going to start the Everton game. It just makes sense.

[Brazilian Villain]

I haven't looked at our fixtures beyond the first 2 weeks but you'd have to think if we've got the likes of Everton sandwiched between Bayern Munich and Liverpool, for example, Duran is going to start the Everton game. It just makes sense.

Don't believe we can draw Liverpool in the CL league stage.

[AV84]

I haven't looked at our fixtures beyond the first 2 weeks but you'd have to think if we've got the likes of Everton sandwiched between Bayern Munich and Liverpool, for example, Duran is going to start the Everton game. It just makes sense.

Don't believe we can draw Liverpool in the CL league stage.

I was thinking more a Weekend, Weekend, Wednesday kind of thing. Or indeed Wednesday, Weekend, Weekend. Obviously it's possible Watkins could play them all, but we rotated a lot with the European games last season, and the opposition will be a serious step up this year. We should be using Duran more, assuming Emery trusts him.