ASTON VILLA HAVE agreed to sign Jhon Durán from Chicago Fire.
The deal for the striker will reportedly cost Villa an initial €16.6million (£14.75m).
“Aston Villa can confirm that an agreement has been reached with Chicago Fire for the permanent transfer of 19-year-old striker Jhon Durán,” read a Villa statement.
“The deal is subject to the player passing a medical, agreeing personal terms and obtaining the necessary work visa.”
Aston Villa can confirm that an agreement has been reached with Chicago Fire for the permanent transfer of 19-year-old striker, Jhon Durán.
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) January 16, 2023
Colombia international Durán made 22 appearances in the MLS for the Fire last season, scoring eight goals, and has played three times for his country.
Once the deal is completed he will become Villa’s second January signing after the arrival of full-back Alex Moreno from Real Betis last week.
Meanwhile, Shakhtar Donetsk owner Rinat Akhmetov will donate more around €23m (£20.4m) of the transfer fee received from Chelsea for the sale of Mykhailo Mudryk to help support those affected by the war in Ukraine.
The 22-year-old winger was unveiled at Stamford Bridge during the Blues’ 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday, following his €69.8m (£62m) transfer from the Ukrainian champions, a fee that could rise to €99.2m (£88m) depending on performances.
It is the highest transfer fee ever received by a Ukrainian club, and comes as a financial boost for Shakhtar after the Court of Arbitration for Sport last week ruled that Fifa acted legally in allowing foreign players to cancel their contracts at Ukrainian clubs following Russia’s invasion last February.
Akhmetov, a billionaire oligarch from Donetsk who became rich in the years following the collapse of the Soviet Union, took control of Shakhtar in 1996 and bankrolled the club to become the strongest in Ukraine and a regular in the Champions League.
He has made regular charitable donations during the country’s on-going conflict with Russia, including providing humanitarian aid at Shakhtar’s former stadium, the Donbas Arena, after pro-Russian separatists took control of Donetsk in 2014. Aid ceased in 2017 after the rebels blocked access to the stadium.
“I am donating $25m (£23.1m) of the transfer fee to help our soldiers, defenders and their families,” Akhmetov said in a statement.
“The money will be used to cover different needs, from providing medical and prosthetic treatment and psychological support, to meeting specific requests. It will be managed by an independent professional team that will work with the Azovstal defenders, their families, care providers and volunteers.”
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