Benfica sign Jhon Durán on loan from Al-Nassr with €30m option to buy

The loan deal

Benfica confirmed on Monday that they have reached an agreement with Al-Nassr for the season-long loan of Jhon Durán. The total cost to the Portuguese club is €6.1 million, covering the loan fee, the player's gross salary, insurance, social security, solidarity mechanism and agency fees. At the end of the 2026/27 campaign, Benfica hold an option to make the transfer permanent for a fixed €30 million. If the option is not exercised, the Lisbon side have secured a right of first refusal should Al-Nassr agree another loan for the 2027/28 season. The 22-year-old becomes the club's fourth summer signing, following defenders Clément Lenglet and Gabriel Índio and winger Jakub Kaminski.

Durán's reaction

Speaking to Benfica's in-house television, Durán expressed delight at the move.

I am happy! I continue to say that it is the biggest club in Portugal. I am very grateful to be here.

He recalled playing at the Estádio da Luz as a Fenerbahçe opponent and praised the atmosphere.

It is one of the most beautiful stadiums I have played in during my career. I am very happy to be able to play here.

Durán promised total commitment and set his sights on silverware.

I have very high expectations of being here. I want to play well, give my all and become champion.

He also thanked Benfica supporters for the messages they had sent him on Instagram.

A whirlwind career

The move makes Benfica the seventh club of Durán's young career, spanning seven countries. He began at Envigado in Colombia, moved to Chicago Fire in MLS, and then joined Aston Villa in January 2023 for a reported €29.5 million. A prolific first half of the 2024/25 season, 12 goals in 29 Premier League appearances, earned him a €77 million transfer to Al-Nassr in January 2025, where he played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and scored 12 times in 18 outings. Since then, however, his path has been less settled. A loan to Fenerbahçe under José Mourinho yielded five goals in 21 games before the deal was cut short in February 2026. He spent the second half of last season at Zenit Saint Petersburg, where his output dipped to one goal in six league matches, though one report credits him with three goals in nine appearances across all competitions.

Benfica's project under Marco Silva

Head coach Marco Silva specifically requested the signing, believing he can revive the striker's form. Durán joins a forward line that already includes Vangelis Pavlidis, Franjo Ivanovic and Anísio Cabral, but Silva values the Colombian's explosive qualities from their time in English football. The coach is racing to integrate new faces before a congested August that could feature up to six Europa League qualifying ties and the first four league rounds. Durán's arrival also reunites him with compatriot Richard Ríos, who was part of Colombia's 2026 World Cup squad while Durán missed out.

What comes next

Durán will wear the Benfica shirt for the 2026/27 season, with the club holding the €30 million purchase option. His immediate task is to force his way into Silva's starting eleven and deliver the goals that have been missing since his Aston Villa peak. If he succeeds, Benfica could make the deal permanent; if not, the right of first refusal on a further loan gives them a safety net. For a player still only 22, the move represents a chance to stabilise a career that has lurched across continents in four years.