Sport Lisboa e Benfica is in active talks with Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr to bring Colombian striker Jhon Durán to Lisbon on loan, a move that could address the club's persistent need for attacking firepower. The 22-year-old forward would arrive with Al Nassr willing to shoulder the majority of his substantial wage to facilitate the transfer.
Why This Matters:
• Benfica needs attacking depth with Vangelis Pavlidis and Franjo Ivanovic as the only recognized strikers in the squad, particularly ahead of Liga Europa qualifiers.
• Sporting director Mário Branco previously worked with Durán at Fenerbahçe and has been tracking the player closely.
• Al Nassr paid a significant transfer fee for Durán in January 2025, but the player has struggled to establish himself as a regular starter.
• The financial structure of the deal minimizes Benfica's exposure, with Al Nassr covering most of Durán's wages.
Durán's Career Path and Recent Struggles
Jhon Durán's career trajectory has been marked by notable ups and downs. After a promising period at Aston Villa—where he made 78 appearances across two seasons—the Medellín native attracted international interest. Al Nassr pursued him in early 2025, placing him in a star-studded squad.
However, his time at Al Nassr did not unfold as hoped. He fell out of favor with manager Jorge Jesus, who deemed him surplus to requirements, leading to a difficult 2025-26 season in which Durán was loaned to two different clubs with minimal impact.
First came Fenerbahçe, where he managed 5 goals and 2 assists across 21 appearances. His time there ended when he clashed with manager Domenico Tedesco, leading to the premature termination of his loan in January 2026.
A subsequent loan to Zenit St. Petersburg proved unsuccessful. In nine matches with the Russian side, Durán scored just 2 goals, a performance so underwhelming that he was ultimately left off Colombia's World Cup squad.
Across both loans last season, Durán scored 7 goals—a record that raises legitimate questions about his current form and consistency.
Why Benfica Remains Interested
Despite the recent struggles, Benfica president Rui Costa and his technical team believe Durán's underlying qualities justify pursuing the loan opportunity. Sporting director Mário Branco's familiarity with Durán from their time at Fenerbahçe provides the club with valuable insight into the player's capabilities and potential fit.
Benfica scouts had opportunities to observe Durán closely when Fenerbahçe faced the Portuguese club in European competition. The club's analysis suggests Durán possesses the physical attributes—standing at 1.85m—to function as a target striker capable of both holding up play and pressing aggressively, qualities that align with the tactical demands of modern Portuguese football.
What This Means for Residents
For Benfica supporters and Portuguese football followers, the Durán pursuit signals both ambition and strategic calculation. With a thin attacking rotation and European qualifiers approaching, the club clearly prioritizes reinforcing its offensive options.
The financial structure of the deal is particularly noteworthy: Al Nassr's willingness to co-finance the move and cover most of Durán's wages means Benfica's actual financial commitment remains minimal. For a team operating under financial fair play scrutiny, this represents a pragmatic approach to squad reinforcement.
However, the central question remains whether Durán can rediscover the form that made him an attractive prospect during his Aston Villa years, or whether his recent struggles at Al Nassr, Fenerbahçe, and Zenit indicate deeper concerns about consistency and adaptability. His loan record last season—7 goals across two clubs—provides limited grounds for confidence.
The Bottom Line
Benfica's pursuit of Jhon Durán represents a calculated risk aimed at addressing immediate attacking depth requirements. If the Colombian can recapture his earlier form, the low-cost loan structure makes the deal a sensible investment. If struggles continue, it becomes a cautionary example of the challenges clubs face when rehabilitating players who have underperformed at multiple institutions.
For Portuguese football fans, the coming weeks will reveal whether Benfica's assessment of Durán's potential outweighs the concerns raised by his recent performance record and the decisions of other major clubs to move him on.
