Jhon Duran joins Benfica from Al-Nassr on season-long loan
Jhon Duran has joined Benfica on a season-long loan from Al-Nassr, with the Portuguese club paying a £5.19m (€6.1m) loan fee and holding a £25.5m (€30m) option to buy the Colombia striker permanently at the end of the 2026-27 season.
Key Takeaways
- Benfica secured Jhon Duran from Al-Nassr on a season-long loan for the 2026-27 campaign.
- The loan fee is £5.19m (€6.1m), with a permanent option priced at £25.5m (€30m).
- At 22, Benfica becomes the seventh club of Duran's career across seven countries.
- The former Aston Villa forward aims to win silverware after loan stops at Fenerbahce and Zenit.
The move returns the ex-Villa favourite to European club football and adds another high-value chapter to a career already defined by big fees. For more player valuations and transfer money talk, see our Net Worth & Wealth coverage.
How much will Benfica pay for Jhon Duran?
According to BBC Sport, Benfica will pay a £5.19m (6.1m euros) loan fee for the Colombia international. Goal.com separately confirmed the same structure in euros: €6.1m for the loan, plus a €30m option to buy at season's end.
That permanent price sits well below the £71m Al-Nassr paid Aston Villa for Duran in January 2025, underscoring how loan economics can reshape a striker's market value after rapid club-hopping.
Why does this Benfica loan matter for Jhon Duran?
Benfica will be the seventh club of Duran's career at just 22, following recent stints with Fenerbahce and Zenit St Petersburg. He began at Envigado in 2019, moved to Chicago Fire in 2022, then joined Aston Villa for £14m in January 2023 and became a fan favourite.
After a West Ham move fell through in summer 2024, and following a famous Champions League winner against Bayern Munich, Villa sold him to Al-Nassr for £71m. He scored eight goals in 13 games in Saudi Arabia, then left after half a season for a Fenerbahce loan that ended when Jose Mourinho was sacked and the deal was cancelled in February 2026 so he could join Zenit.
What has Jhon Duran said about joining Benfica?
"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."
Goal.com also reported he wants to work hard and help his team, while preparing under head coach Marco Silva. He arrives with 17 caps and three goals for Colombia. Whether Benfica activates the €30m buy option will hinge on how he performs across 2026-27.