Barcelona could rob Aston Villa of their brightest young talent

Unai Emery currently faces a tough decision on who the No. 1 striker at Aston Villa should be. Ollie Watkins began the season as the team's top hitman but Jhon Duran has started to take minutes away from him in recent weeks. Unfortunately for Villa, Emery may not be forced to make those tough decisions next season.

That's because Barcelona are already considering making a swoop for Duran next summer. According to Sport, officials from the Catalan giants already met with the 21-year-old forward's representatives several weeks ago.

Nothing is imminent between Barcelona and Duran but he is a potential target for the club when the summer transfer window opens.

Barcelona reportedly considering Jhon Duran transfer in summer window

It's easy to understand why Hansi Flick's side is interested in buying a young goal scorer. Robert Lewandoski is still leading the line for the club but he will be 37 years old next season. His days as the focal point of an elite club's attack are clearly coming to an end.

Duran has notched seven goals for Villa in just 18 appearances on the season. 14 of those appearances have come off Emery's bench which makes his goal tally all the more impressive. He's curried favor with his club's fan base with his ability to turn matches in Villa's favor as a substitute.

If Barcelona do want to pry Duran away from the Premier League side they will need to come with a sizeable financial offer. The glitzy forward is signed through 2030 which means Villa will not feel any pressure to let him leave. It's likely that Barcelona would need to pay upwards of $70 million if they want to get a deal done.

That might seem an unlikely sum for a club that is under such intense financial pressure to play. Barcelona's financial picture could change dramatically between now and the summer. Parting ways with a few players could clear enough room for them to bid big for Duran. If that happens, the striker's days at Villa could end much sooner than Emery would have hoped.