Jhon Duran joins Benfica on loan from Al-Nassr in latest career move

Former Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran has joined Benfica on a season-long loan from Al-Nassr, according to BBC Sport, continuing a rapid sequence of transfers that has taken the Colombia international across several leagues before his 23rd birthday.

The move gives Benfica a centre-forward with Premier League, Major League Soccer, Saudi Pro League, Turkish and Russian league experience, but it also places Duran’s career trajectory under fresh scrutiny. At 22, the forward is now set for what BBC Sport describes as the seventh club of his senior career.

What Benfica are getting

Duran’s arrival is structured as a loan for the 2026-27 season. BBC Sport reports that Benfica will pay a £5.19m loan fee, listed as €6.1m, and hold an option to make the transfer permanent for £25.5m, listed as €30m, at the end of the campaign.

For Benfica, the deal offers short-term attacking depth without an immediate full transfer fee. For Duran, it is a chance to settle at a major European club after a period of repeated moves and interrupted loans.

The striker’s own comments, carried in the BBC report, point to a clear expectation that he will compete immediately. “I am happy! I continue to say that it is the biggest club in Portugal. I am very grateful to be here,” Duran said. “I have very high expectations of being here. I want to play well, give my all and become champion.”

Key facts

A fast-moving career path

Duran began his professional career with Envigado in Colombia in 2019 before moving to Chicago Fire in MLS in 2022. Aston Villa signed him in January 2023 for a reported £14m, and he became known to Premier League followers as a powerful, unpredictable attacking option.

His Villa spell included one of the most memorable moments of his English career: a winner against Bayern Munich in the Champions League. That goal added to his reputation as a high-impact forward capable of delivering in major matches.

A proposed move to West Ham did not go through in the summer of 2024. Instead, Duran remained at Villa before being sold to Al-Nassr in January 2025 for a reported £71m, one of the most significant fees attached to a young Premier League forward at the time.

After leaving Villa

BBC Sport reports that Duran scored eight goals in 13 games for Al-Nassr, but his time in Saudi Arabia lasted only half a season before another loan move followed. He then joined Fenerbahce, but that spell was disrupted when manager Jose Mourinho was sacked less than a month after Duran’s debut.

The loan was later cancelled in February 2026, allowing Duran to join Zenit St Petersburg. The Benfica switch now sends him to Portugal, adding another league and another country to a career that has developed at unusual speed.

That amount of movement can be read in different ways. Duran’s talent has clearly remained attractive to clubs with European pedigree and major ambitions. At the same time, Benfica will need more than flashes of finishing quality if the loan is to become a long-term success.

Why the move matters

For FootballGames10 readers tracking transfers, Duran’s move is notable because it combines several key market themes: Premier League resale value, Saudi Pro League recruitment, loan flexibility and the continued appeal of Benfica as a platform for forwards.

The deal also shows how quickly a young striker’s market can change. Duran moved from Villa to Al-Nassr for a major fee, then entered a run of temporary spells. Benfica’s option to buy gives the Portuguese club control if he adapts well, while limiting risk if the move does not produce the expected impact.

For Aston Villa followers, the transfer is another chapter in the post-Villa career of a player who divided opinion but rarely lacked attention. For Benfica supporters, the practical question is more immediate: whether Duran can convert his physical tools and finishing instincts into consistent performances across a full season.

What to watch next

The next checks will be Benfica’s official squad registration, Duran’s first match involvement and whether the club confirms the full financial structure reported by BBC Sport. Team role will matter as much as the headline move: a clear run of starts would give Duran a better chance to rebuild continuity after several short spells.

The transfer should also be viewed with one source caveat. The BBC report provides the main details on the loan fee, purchase option and recent career timeline. Until club documentation or Benfica’s own detailed announcement confirms every term, the financial figures should be treated as reported terms rather than independently verified contract data.

Source: BBC Sport Football — https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c75gwl3n50qo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss