Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran has joined Saudi Professional League membership Al-Nassr for a reported £65m plus add-ons.
The Colombia worldwide, 21, leaves Villa two years after becoming a member of the Premier League membership from MLS group Chicago Fireplace, having made 78 appearances and scored 20 objectives.
Duran will be part of Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo’s group after Al-Nassr opted to signal him over Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface.
Aston Villa can verify that Jhon Durán has joined Al Nassr for an undisclosed price.
Everybody at Aston Villa want to want Jhon all the most effective within the subsequent step of his skilled profession. pic.twitter.com/du26gbKUav
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) January 31, 2025
Jhon Duran switch stats
The purported price for Duran makes him the second-most costly participant Villa have ever bought, solely eclipsed by the £100m Manchester Metropolis paid for Jack Grealish in August 2021.
He has scored 12 objectives in all competitions in 2024/25 and had featured in all 26 of Villa’s matches earlier than serving a three-game suspension for a pink card at Newcastle on December 26.
Duran initially proved himself a extremely efficient substitute with objectives from the bench in 4 of their first 5 Premier League video games of the season, appearing as a accomplice to and occasional alternative for England worldwide Ollie Watkins.
A quantity that carries historical past and glory at AlNassr 🌟The long-lasting No. 9 is again! 🔥#DuránIsYellow pic.twitter.com/PTyvfllhTS
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) January 31, 2025
Villa: Duran switch ‘good cash’
Villa supervisor Unai Emery saved Duran, who had not scored in nearly three hours of soccer, as an unused substitute for the 4-2 dwelling win over Celtic within the Champions League on Wednesday amid hypothesis over his future.
“If he’s leaving, it’s as a result of he desires [to],” Emery stated after Villa certified for the final 16. “I instructed you final week that I wished him right here.
“We’re completely different individuals, completely different aims. The membership is working and we’ve got to be clever available in the market. Our goal right here is to maintain our construction as a result of we wish to preserve the extent excessive, and perhaps we’ve got to promote some gamers.
“I don’t know precisely till every little thing is finished whether or not or not Jhon Duran is leaving – but when he does, it’ll be excellent news for us as a result of it’s good cash.”
From England to Saudi Arabia: Welcome to AlNassr, John Durán! 🏟️🔥 pic.twitter.com/V1ltVU6sdk
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) January 31, 2025
Duran, Ronaldo goal to elevate Al Nassr
Al-Nassr made Cristiano Ronaldo essentially the most high-profile participant in Saudi soccer when he joined them on a reported wage of greater than £160m in 2024.
Duran’s new teammates additionally embody two-time African Footballer of the Yr Sadio Mane, who shared the 2018/19 Premier League Golden Boot throughout six years with Liverpool by which he lifted each main English trophy and the Champions League.
Regardless of their stellar names and huge wealth, Al-Nassr are but to win the Saudi title since Ronaldo joined them, ending 14 factors behind champions Al-Hilal in 2023/24.
They’re eight factors behind the reigning champions with 16 video games to play this time round, having changed supervisor Luis Castro with former AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli in September.
