Ex-Aston Villa forward Jhon Duran set for shock European move as Al-Nassr nightmare nears end

Portuguese giants Benfica are on the verge of wrapping up a transfer agreement for Colombian international forward Duran from Al-Nassr, according to local outlet A Bola. The 22-year-old striker will land at the Estadio da Luz on a loan deal from the Saudi Pro League side. To facilitate the move, the Al-Nassr hierarchy are prepared to co-fund the deal and cover the vast majority of the player's substantial wage packet.

The report says that Duran has been given the green light by Al-Nassr CEO Jose Semedo this week to find a new club to resurrect his career. The former Villa frontman was signed by Al-Nassr for €77 million in January 2025 on a contract worth around €20m a year, running until 2030. However, his spell in Saudi Arabia has been underwhelming, yielding just 18 appearances across domestic and continental competitions.

Prior to his move to Portugal, the striker - who has 17 caps for the Colombia national team - endured unsuccessful loan spells at Fenerbahce and Zenit St Petersburg. His time in Russia was further disrupted by disciplinary issues that saw him frozen out of the first-team squad. This lack of regular club football ultimately proved costly for Duran, who was subsequently omitted from Colombia's 2026 World Cup squad.

Duran is scheduled to arrive in Lisbon in the coming days to undergo his medical before officially joining Marco Silva's squad. The talented forward will be immediately integrated into the club's pre-season training sessions to accelerate his adaptation to the team's tactical system.

His arrival is expected to bolster a Benfica frontline gearing up for a demanding campaign in both domestic competitions and the Champions League league phase.