West Ham are now “exploring other options” after failing to agree a fee with Aston Villa for Jhon Duran, according to ExWHUEmployee.

Replying to a question on X, the insider source confirmed that the deal for the Colombian international has stalled:

It’s all been explained on the podcast. Essentially we are exploring other options including DCL because we can’t get villa to agree to our offer…this can always change https://t.co/GJEejqJFn5

— ExWHUEmployee (@ExWHUEmployee) July 15, 2024

It is believed that Villa wanted between £35m and £40m for Duran and that isn’t a fee that the Hammers are willing to pay for a 20-year-old with a limited amount of minutes in the Premier League.

What are the “other options” that West Ham are looking at?

It is believed that Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin is on the list but, due to his poor injury record, Ex emphasised that the 27-year-old is not among the top targets being pursued.

In terms of alternatives, the Irons have explored moves for Sevilla’s Youssef En-Nesryi and Villarreal’s Alexander Sorloth, while they have a longstanding interest in Chelsea’s Armando Broja.

The likes of Lille’s Jonathan David and Brentford’s Ivan Toney are also under consideration but it remains to be seen who technical director Tim Steidten deems to be the no.1 alternative to Duran.

A limited transfer budget could influence who the Hammers pursue

After baulking at Duran’s asking price, it’s likely that West Ham are eyeing a move for a striker who is valued below the £30m mark.

In that bracket, En-Nesryi and David would be the prime candidates. The two forwards have less than a year left on their contracts and reports suggest that their clubs could let them leave this summer for around €20m (£17m) to €25m (£21m).

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