Unai Emery has revealed that Jhon Duran is close to starting for Aston Villa after excelling as a super-sub. Duran has scored three goals off the bench in the club’s first four league games, achieving the best minutes-per-goal average of any Villa player with four or more Premier League goals. His impact as a substitute has been significant, scoring match-winners and showing promise in his limited minutes. Emery was asked if Duran is satisfied with his current role as a back-up to Ollie Watkins, who recently opened his account for the season.
Unai Emery said “His process is going up. He arrived here two years ago and the first six months were not easy for him, but progressively he has played more. He had a difficult injury in pre-season last year and he started playing at the beginning of September or the end of August. His talent is there and he is now playing more and with confidence. He is respecting his teammates. There is still work to do, but the process he is doing. I am very happy with how he has started the season and how he started the first training session we did with him in the summer. He was very focused to stay here. It is good news to watch him playing, adding more minutes as well. Every minute he is playing with us he is helping us.”
Emery also hinted that Duran could soon be in the starting lineup.
Unai Emery said “Every player who is on the bench, the idea is to try and get better on the pitch. As a striker, he is clearly helping us by scoring goals and having a very good impact. The idea is as well to play in the starting XI. I don’t know if he will tomorrow or on Tuesday or next weekend, but he is close and ready to play. Now, it is to manage his minutes, playing together with Watkins. The process he is doing, he is very motivated and excited with us. After a difficult summer, he is 100 per cent focusing here and the supporters are happy with him. Everything now is going well, and hopefully for a long time, like we want.”
