Chelsea ramp up interest in Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran after missing out on RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko

Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran has moved higher on Chelsea's list of transfer targets.

The Colombia international has been on the Blues' watch-list since the January window as the Stamford Bridge outfit look to bolster their attacking options.

Chelsea's owners famously prefer to sign young players that the club can develop, making 20-year-old Duran - who scored eight goals for Villa last season - an attractive candidate.

The west Londoners had also been eyeing 21-year-old Benjamin Sesko but he recently signed a new contract with RB Leipzig.

According to The Telegraph, Sesko's decision to stay at Leipzig has significantly increased the likelihood of Duran ending up at Chelsea this summer.

Duran is said to be very keen to join Chelsea, even though in the short-term it would mean swapping Champions League football for a team that will be playing in the Europa Conference League next season.

Earlier this year, fans spotted that Duran had been frequently liking Chelsea-related posts on social media. 

Dominic Solanke is also understood to be on Chelsea's list of targets but the Bournemouth frontman - who spent most of his youth-team career with the Blues - would likely cost a lot more than Duran.

Duran moved to Villa in January 2023 when he arrived from MLS side Chicago Fire for an £18 million transfer fee.

He has since featured in 23 Premier League games but started in only three, with Ollie Watkins firmly ahead of him in the striking pecking order at Villa Park.

Duran would not be the first Colombian to play for Chelsea were he to move there this summer.

Juan Cuadrado and Radamel Falcao both represented the club between 2014 and 2016.