Jhon Durán to Al-Nassr: Fire get 15% of Profit
Two years after Jhon Durán left the Chicago Fire for a club-record fee, he's on the move again. This time, it's a shock, record-breaking transfer from Aston Villa to Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr, where he'll partner Cristiano Ronaldo up front.
The move, reportedly valued at around €77 million, not including potential add-ons, makes him the second most expensive arrival in Saudi history after Neymar Jr. at Al-Hilal. The Fire will receive 15% of that profit – over €8 million, enough to make him MLS' record sale. Considering the roughly €22 million (£18.5 million) Villa paid for him in 2023, the package now totals around €30 million. The previous record holder, Miguel Almirón, cost Newcastle United around €24 million (£20 million) in 2019.
Unfortunately for the Fire, they won't be able to convert any of that profit to General Allocation Money (GAM).
Durán, who only turned 21 last month, was initially signed by the Fire ahead of the 2022 season. He was scouted by then-Fire Technical Director Sebastian Pelzer when he was at Envigado in his native Colombia. His transition to MLS was not smooth, sitting behind Kacper Przybyłko for the full first half of the season, but he won the starting job midway through and went on to score eight goals in MLS. He left the club just 12 months after arriving, having expressed a desire to leave since the summer, breaking the transfer record set by Gaga Slonina just a few months prior.
“When we originally scouted Jhon as a 16-year-old, we knew that he had the potential to become one of the top young strikers in the world,” former Sporting Director Georg Heitz said at the time of the initial transfer in 2023. “Jhon’s rapid development is a testament to his hard work and the investment from our coaching staff and many individuals throughout the club.”
Since joining Villa, Durán has been a revelation and helped them improbably qualify for this season's Champions League. He has scored 12 times in the Premier League, including seven times this season so far; despite that, he's made just seven total league starts in the last two years and played just 626 minutes this season. Statistically, he's the most productive goalscorer in the Premier League and has scored three times in the Champions League against FC Bayern München, Bologna, and RB Leipzig.
At Al-Nassr, Durán will play alongside not only Cristiano Ronaldo but also Sadio Mané, Marcelo Brozović, Aymeric Laporte, Mohamed Simakan, and others. Recently fired AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli is also in charge at the club, who currently sit in 4th position in the Saudi league, eight points behind Al-Hilal. Al-Nassr finished 2nd last season behind Al-Hilal as well.
