JHON DURAN’S number appears to be up at Aston Villa.
After new signing Amadou Onana was spotted wearing Duran’s squad No.24 kit on the club’s pre-season trip to the USA.
That seems to suggest Villa knows the 20-year-old Colombian is unlikely to be back at Villa Park.
Duran is currently on an extended holiday after representing Colombia at the Copa America.
But the unsettled striker has made no secret of his desire to move on this summer, with West Ham locked in talks with Villa aimed at signing him.
SunSport understands the Hammers have now offered Villa £30million plus 18-year-old starlet Lewis Orford for Duran and are awaiting a response from Villa.
Chelsea were also been linked with Duran this summer but appear to have cooled their interest.
And Villa have now given a clear indication they are preparing for life without their Colombian kid by handing his No.24 shirt over to new £50million signing Onana.
The new arrival from Everton is a huge fan of the late LA Lakers basketball legend Kobe Bryant who famously wore the No.8 and No.24 shirt during his stellar career.
Onana wore the No.24 short at Lille but changed to the number 8 shirt when he signed for Everton.
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However both Onana’s favoured shirt numbers were taken when he arrived at Villa with Belgian international teammate Youri Tielemans in possession of the number 8 jersey, while Duran wore 24.
SunSport asked Onana this week which number he would wear this season.
The 22-year-old replied: “It hasn’t been fixed yet, I’ll have to wait and see.”
However on Villa’s first day of training in Washington DC the problem seemed to be resolved as Onana sported the No.24 kit – which would usually have been handed to Duran.
That would suggest Villa are preparing to cut their ties with Duran, who’s number now looks to be up at Villa Park.
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