Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira believes his former club would be making the right decision if they sign Jhon Duran from Aston Villa.

Reports in Colombia over the past 10 days have mentioned the Gunners as a potential suitor and, asked about the player by bettingexpert.com, Vieira said:

“I loved his performance against Bayern Munich. He’s the right player for Arsenal – quick, unselfish, solid in the air, technically skilled, and intelligent in his movement.”

Duran has been in outstanding form this season, having hit the back of the net 8 times in all competitions so far.

Arsenal would have to pay a sizeable fee

It is believed that Villa have now slapped a €90m (£76m) asking price on the striker, having tied him down to a new six-year contract last month.

Duran was actually on the market for between £40m and £50m in the last transfer window but his new deal and outstanding form have seen his valuation skyrocket.

There is also likely to be competition for the Colombian international, with both Chelsea and West Ham reportedly having a longstanding interest in the forward.

Do the Gunners need Duran?

Some may argue that Mikel Arteta’s side have been scoring enough goals without a natural No.9. The likes of Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli have all made important contributions.

However, when you look a the scoring charts, only Havertz has scored more than 4 goals in all competitions, despite Arsenal having played 14 matches.

You do feel that the Gunners are crying out for a recognised striker who can be the focal point in attack. If they are to make that leap from runners-up to Premier League champions, splashing the cash on a goalscorer may be needed. It remains to be seen, though, whether they are prepared to spend big on Duran.

Find out who is in Arsenal’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here