Chelsea will think about using wantaway forward Joao Felix in a deal to sign Arsenal and West Ham goal Jhon Duran from Aston Villa, in keeping with reports.
Felix only joined Chelsea last summer in a £45m deal from Atletico Madrid, but is already being tipped to depart after a frustrating spell at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea’s wealth of attacking options has restricted Felix to only three league starts this season, the Portugal international behind the likes of Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke, Pedro Neto and Jadon Sancho in Enzo Maresca’s pecking order.
Felix has grown frustrated along with his reduced role in west London and is open to leaving Chelsea before the January transfer window closes next week.
Aston Villa seem like leading the race to sign Felix having opened talks with Chelsea earlier within the week.
Unai Emery is a known admirer of Felix having tried to sign him before Chelsea secured his signature last summer.
Quite a few European clubs are also taken with Felix but Villa, currently eighth, would give the 25-year-old the prospect to remain within the Premier League.
Chelsea will sanction Felix’s departure if an appropriate agreement may be reached and will attempt to sign Duran from Villa as a part of the deal, in keeping with talkSPORT.
Duran has been linked with a move away from Villa Park after playing second fiddle to England striker Ollie Watkins all season.
Arsenal have expressed interest in signing Duran as Mikel Arteta desperately looks to bolster his attacking options before the winter window closes.
Recent West Ham boss Graham Potter, meanwhile, can also be keen to work with Duran and has not been deterred by Villa rejecting a £57m offer from the Hammers.
Chelsea are considering signing Duran following a difficult period for the team, who’ve slipped from second to sixth within the space of a month.
Current first-choice striker, Nicolas Jackson, has gone seven games with no goal and it is usually suggested he will not be at the extent required.
Speaking earlier within the season, Blues boss Maresca named Felix as one in all three Chelsea player who ‘deserve to start out’.
Aston Villa manager Emery was asked concerning the speculation surrounding Duran following his team’s 1-1 draw with West Ham on Sunday.
The circumstances on this moment are usually not helping us to be 100% focused,’ Emery told Sky Sports.
‘But Jhon Duran is our player and I’m completely happy with him. I would like him here with us. I would like him here.’
Felix spent the second-half of the 2022-23 season on loan at Chelsea before returning to Stamford Bridge on a everlasting transfer last summer.
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