Just how important was the signing of Morgan Rogers? Sure, Aston Villa's successful season has so many different threads, so many compelling plotlines, but completing the signing of this Championship up-and-comer at the midpoint has paid dividends.
Signed from Middlesbrough on transfer deadline day in January for a fee of £15m, the Manchester City academy graduate has repaid the faith with an excellent start to life in the Midlands, scoring three goals and placing one assist across 11 Premier League appearances, eight starts.
As per Sofascore, the 21-year-old complemented his noteworthy threat in front of goal with 1.5 dribbles per game, highlighting his ability to push the ball into dangerous positions with regularity.
But it's the nature of his strikes that have been so immense for Villa, opening his account with the second strike in a 3-3 draw against Brentford in April, then restoring parity on the stroke of half-time against Bournemouth later in the month – Villa would go on to win the game 3-1. Finally, it was Rogers' goal that provided Unai Emery's side with a two-goal lead at home against Chelsea.
The Blues would salvage a point but the fact of the matter is that Rogers has provided his team with some crucial goals to maintain momentum en route to historic Champions League qualification.
Finishing fourth, five points ahead of Tottenham Hotspur with a game to play, Aston Villa have triumphed during Emery's first full season, and while Morgan has impressed, he's not the youngster with the most emphatic of contributions.
That tag lies with Jhon Duran, Villa Park's very own agent of chaos.
Jhon Duran's season in numbers
Duran stole the show last time out, entering the field in the second half with Villa Park trailing 3-1 against Liverpool in the Premier League, handing Spurs a window of opportunity in their fight to qualify for the Champions League.
The young Colombian, only 20, showcased his power and raw finishing quality to salvage a draw and put his outfit within touching distance of a start among Europe's elite, confirmed one day later when Tottenham Hotspur were defeated against Manchester City.
With the heavy lifting now done and dusted this season, Aston Villa can contest their final fixture, a trip to Selhurst Park against in-form Crystal Palace, with freedom and gusto, targetting a point or more that will hit that 70-point mark.
Duran, one would think, is in with a good shout to earn only his third top-flight starting berth of the season, having scored five goals in the Premier League.
As per Sofascore, the South American striker has only taken 8.5 touches per game this season, has averaged 19 minutes in action per outing. This makes it hard to measure his success.
He has breathtaking physical attributes and is demonstrably effective in front of goal, performing well above his xG (expected goals) rate in the Premier League, with Understat revealing that he would have been expected to score 1.91 goals in the division this term.
While xG is often taken with a pinch of salt, it serves as a good gauge of Duran's potential as a first-choice member of the Villans first team – might Emery already have the heir to Ollie Watkins' throne residing in his ranks?
Goals and assists are not the only yardstick by which forwards can be analysed; Duran's teammate, the indefatigable John McGinn, remarked that the 6 foot 1 starlet is “a nightmare to play against," while Emery hailed him as a "special player" but carried undertones of caution within his praise.
1.
Jeremy Doku
£56m
1.
Rasmus Hojlund
£56m
3.
Evan Ferguson
£51m
4.
Cole Palmer
£47m
5.
Levi Colwill
£43m
6.
Destiny Udogie
£39m
7.
Alejandro Garnacho
£34m
7.
Romeo Lavia
£34m
7.
Pape Matar Sarr
£34m
10.
Rico Lewis
£33m
And rightly so. As the table above highlights, there are plenty of U21 players enjoying pathways to prosperity on the Premier League scene. Duran has chipped the ice but he must work tirelessly to cement a place among the division's best.
Duran is at the dawn of a potentially prosperous career in Europe, but he has not yet reached his ceiling and must be guided to the fore over the coming years.
Jhon Duran's market value in 2024
Aston Villa signed Duran from Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire in an £18m transfer in January 2023, with Emery moving just months after being appointed as Steven Gerrard's successor to land a highly-talented teenage talent.
A wild footballer capable of "outrageous" moments, Duran played a part during the second half of Villa's 2022/23 Premier League campaign but failed to really make his mark, featuring 12 times off the bench and failing to score or assist.
But the naturally-rooted skills were there, latent, awaiting channelling, and the £30k-per-week has now demonstrated his style to resonant effect. Next season, who knows how important a part he will play in Emery's still-improving project.
But one thing's for certain, his market value is only going to skyrocket. Currently, the eight-cap international is valued at £17m by CIES Football Observatory, which already places him above the aforementioned Rogers (£8m) and even seasoned veteran Diego Carlos, who is valued at just £4m following his damaging anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered in 2022, shortly after signing for the club.
Rogers and Duran have showcased the value of investing in youth with bright colours, and while there is plenty of work to do next season, on a bigger, more daunting stage in the Champions League, Villa Park is in safe hands indeed.
Duran has so much to offer, and with his beast-like presence on the pitch making him an apt component for the Lions team, Emery must surely know that he's hit the jackpot with this one.
Emery must ditch Aston Villa flop who earns more than Duran
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ByJoe Nuttall
