Jhon Duran injury could scupper Aston Villa exit chance after Chelsea links

Jhon Duran's hopes of securing a move away from Aston Villa before next week's January transfer deadline may now have been scuppered.

Chelsea are among the clubs to have been linked with a move for the Colombian international forward, along with the likes of rivals West Ham and Newcastle.

Duran has yet to start a single Premier League match for high-flying Villa so far this term, being reduced to bit-part cameos and regular cup appearances due primarily to the strong form of England's Ollie Watkins.

Villa were rumoured to be entertaining interest in a player they only signed from Major League Soccer (MLS) outfit Chicago Fire in an £18million deal 12 months ago, with head coach Unai Emery thought to want to make room for a new striker signing of his own amid ongoing links to Middlesbrough's Morgan Rogers and Armando Broja at Chelsea, among others.

However, Emery revealed before Friday night's FA Cup fourth round showdown with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge that Duran - who got 25 minutes off the bench in Villa's goalless draw with Everton a fortnight ago - would now be sidelined for numerous weeks as the result of an injury setback suffered late on at Goodison Park that seems highly likely to end any transfer speculation in this window with the deadline fast approaching on February 1.

Emery also insisted that he was pleased to have the 20-year-old, who may have to wait until the summer to seal an exit from Villa Park unless he can make a bigger impact between now and the end of the season having scored just four times in 23 appearances across all competitions so far this term.

"Jhon Duran is now injured, but I am happy with him," Emery told reporters at his pre-Chelsea press conference on Thursday. "The last action against Everton he was injured.

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"For the next weeks he is not going to be available."