Jhon Duran agreed new deal after showdown Unai Emery talks – Aston Villa expert
Unai Emery played a key role in convincing Jhon Duran to commit to a new contract at Aston Villa, according to the club’s former scout.
Mick Brown, who worked as a senior scout at Villa Park and remains very well-connected at the club, exclusively told Football Insider that the boss has been crucial in turning around Duran’s Villa career despite concerns behind the scenes.
The 20-year-old is said to have worked closely with the manager to iron out any issues behind the scenes and gain a greater understanding of his role in the squad.
This comes after Brown told Football Insider that people at the club had concerns about his attitude, but they would demand a big fee to let him go.
Now, the striker has committed to a six-year deal which will keep him at Villa Park until 2030, with Emery playing a crucial role in his decision.
In the summer transfer window, it looked almost certain that Duran would leave the club amid strong interest from the likes of West Ham and Chelsea.
However, after reports claimed a bid of £43million plus a percentage of any future sale from the Hammers was rejected, he remained a part of Emery’s Villa squad.
Unai Emery key to Jhon Duran contract extension after behind-the-scenes work at Aston Villa
Football Insider exclusively revealed on 7 October that Villa had offered a “huge contract” to Duran after his fantastic start to the season.
Now, Brown, who also had spells at Man United and Tottenham among other clubs, insisted that Emery’s intervention was key to getting Duran to commit his future to the club despite plenty of speculation surrounding a move away.
“I think he’s worked very closely with the manager,” he told Football Insider.
“The suggestion from the club is that he’s a bit of a difficult character to handle.
“But Emery seems to have got through to him and they’ve come to an understanding about the role they want him to play.
“A lot of players would be complaining about being a substitute again when they’re playing like this and demanding they’re given more game time.
“But in order for that to happen, Emery would have to change his team around.
“I’ve heard he’s worked closely with Duran so he understands that role now, and he seems to be happy working with the manager.
“Now, he’s signed this new long-term deal and that is thanks in large part to Emery.
“He’s got a good reputation, he’s got deep knowledge of the game and wherever he goes he seems to get results, he’s very impressive.”
In other news, Aston Villa have agreed ‘top-tier’ deal after Celtic reveal – expert.
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