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Jhon Duran, Kolo Muani & more – Arsenal and Aston Villa set for January transfer battle

Over the past two years, Arsenal have competed for the Premier League title, but each time they’ve come up short, finishing as runners-up to reigning champions Manchester City.

Despite suffering back-to-back heartbreak, they remain undeterred in their quest to win their first Premier League title since the infamous ‘invincibles’ triumph of 2003/04.

The Gunners are once again in the thick of things this season, but so far, it’s been a similar story for Mikel Arteta’s side, only this time, they’re trailing Arne Slot’s Liverpool in the title race.

Over the past two seasons, Arsenal have been urged to sign a prolific striker who could finally spearhead a proper title charge, but they’ve failed to make any progress on that front.

They’ve been overly reliant on talisman Bukayo Saka and have his remarkable consistency to thank for their persistent title charge, but with the England international now sidelined, the Gunners must reconsider their stance on a striker.

Throughout the past two windows, a number of high-profile names have been linked with a switch to the Emirates Stadium, most recently Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, who is tearing up the Premier League.

However, it’ll take a mammoth fee to get Newcastle to the negotiation table, and Arsenal cannot afford such a significant outlay.

Arsenal have since turned to other targets, some of whom have also been linked with Aston Villa, who are hoping to finish in the Champions League places for the second year running.

The Villans are also in the market for reinforcements, and seeing as some of their targets are also on Arsenal’s radar, both sides are poised to carry their Premier League rivalry over to the transfer market.

Both sides have already locked horns this season, with those who claimed their Arsenal vs Aston Villa tickets from Seatsnet.com getting their money’s worth as the Gunners claimed a 2-0 win at Villa Park.

The reverse fixture is slated for January 18, but we may not have to wait that long for both sides to trade blows as the transfer window heats up.

While we eagerly anticipate the rematch, here are a few transfer stories involving both clubs.

Jhon Duran

Unsurprisingly, Arsenal have been linked with a move for Villa’s Jhon Duran, who is considered one of the finest young strikers in the Premier League.

Given their search for a prolific marksman to lead the line, the Gunners have been credited with an interest in the 21-year-old whose eye for goal has drawn interest from top clubs across the country.

Chelsea were previously keen on landing Duran’s signature, but Villa were extremely reluctant to part ways with the talented striker, and Arsenal could be met with a similar response.

A big-money bid might tempt the Villans to reconsider their stance, but Arsenal will most likely be unwilling to fork out a huge sum for the Colombian striker.

Duran was brought in to play back-up to Ollie Watkins when he joined Unai Emery’s troops from Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire in a deal worth around £18 million.

He only made the switch in 2023, but his rapid rise to prominence could see him earn another high-profile move this month.

Despite playing second fiddle to Watkins, Duran has notched 12 goals in 26 appearances across all competitions for Emery’s side. 

Seven of those have come in the Premier League despite starting in just four of his 18 league games this season. He’s just one shy of Watkins, who has netted eight times.

Duran has yet to hit the peak of his powers, and regular playing time could transform him into one of the most lethal finishers in the division.

It remains to be seen if Arsenal will formalise their interest with a bid, but Duran is certainly an upgrade on their current centre-forward options.

Randal Kolo Muani

Paris Saint-Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani has also been heavily linked with a January switch to the Premier League, and a number of clubs are interested, including Arsenal and Villa.

The 26-year-old has struggled for form and consistency since his big-money move from Eintracht Frankfurt to the French capital, and PSG seem ready to cut their losses.

Kolo Muani has struggled to get into Luis Enrique’s first-team plans, starting just two of his 14 appearances across all competitions this season.

Despite his paltry tally of two goals and an assist, Arsenal and Villa seem ready to take a chance on the World Cup finalist, and there are rumours of a potential loan move on the cards.

Arsenal’s interest in Kolo Muani is baffling. They need a prolific striker to close the gap on Liverpool at the summit, and Kolo Muani doesn’t even come close to checking that box.

The Frenchman has struggled to impress for the biggest team in his homeland. That should be enough of a red flag for Arsenal and Villa, but it remains to be seen how this transfer saga will pan out in the coming weeks.

Victor Osimhen

Since Emery joined Villa, the club have been seen to make some bold moves in the transfer market, evidenced by their ambitious interest in signing Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen.

Osimhen has been linked with a Premier League switch for the past couple of years, but Napoli’s ridiculous asking price has forced him to play the waiting game.

Chelsea were actively trying to lure him away from Naples on deadline day last summer but were unsuccessful in their negotiations with Napoli chief Aurelio De Laurentiis.

Given his untenable relationship with Napoli, Osimhen moved to Galatasaray on loan, with an option to move elsewhere in January if one of Europe’s juggernauts came calling.

Villa and Arsenal are among Premier League clubs still circling around the Nigerian. Manchester United and Chelsea are also monitoring his situation closely.

However, Osimhen has decided to stick with Gala until the end of the season, so any potential move for the Nigerian talisman may have to wait until next summer.

Osimhen signed a new deal with Napoli before joining Galatasaray, which would allow him to leave the Serie A giants if a bid of around €70m is tabled.

Injuries have traditionally been an issue for the Nigerian, but he has been in prolific form for Gala this season, notching 13 goals and five assists in 16 games.

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