Colombian striker Jhon Duran has joined Turkish giants Fenerbahce on a season-long loan, just six months after his high-profile switch to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr.
The 21-year-old made the move to Turkey this week, following a whirlwind few months since leaving Aston Villa in January for a reported €77 million (£64.5m), including add-ons.
Duran penned a five-and-a-half-year contract with Al Nassr but is now set to continue his development under Jose Mourinho in Istanbul.
During his short time in Saudi Arabia, Duran impressed by netting 12 goals across 18 appearances, helping Al Nassr to a third-place finish in the 2024-25 season – trailing eventual champions Al Ittihad by 13 points.
Fenerbahce, meanwhile, are hoping the addition of Duran can provide the attacking boost they’ve been missing. The club ended the Super Lig season as runners-up for a fourth consecutive year, finishing 11 points behind arch-rivals Galatasaray.
Mourinho’s first season in charge also saw the club exit both the Turkish Cup and the Europa League at the quarter-final and round-of-16 stages respectively.
Club officials are optimistic that Duran’s arrival could replicate the impact made by Galatasaray’s blockbuster loan signing of Victor Osimhen last season – the Nigerian forward netted 37 goals during the campaign.
Kulübümüz, Al Nassr FC forması giyen Jhon Duran’ın, 1 yıllığına kiralık olarak kadromuza katılması konusunda hem kulübüyle hem de oyuncuyla anlaşmaya varmıştır.
Futbolcumuza, çubuklu formamız altında başarılarla dolu bir sezon dileriz.
Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü pic.twitter.com/0e2tSE5ayy
— Fenerbahçe SK (@Fenerbahce) July 6, 2025
Before his move to Al Nassr, Duran had been on the fringes of the starting lineup at Aston Villa under Unai Emery. Despite limited starts – just seven in total – he still managed 12 goals in 29 appearances in the first half of the season.
Overall, Duran tallied 20 goals in 78 matches for the Midlands side, who signed him from MLS outfit Chicago Fire in January 2023 for up to £17.75 million.
Interest in the young forward had been strong prior to his January exit, with West Ham tabling a rejected offer during the summer of 2024. They returned in the winter window with a second bid of £57 million, which was again turned down by Villa.
At Al Nassr, Duran joined a star-studded squad that includes Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, and Aymeric Laporte. Ronaldo, now 40, recently extended his stay in Riyadh with a new two-year contract keeping him at the club until age 42.
There’s also been movement behind the scenes in the Al Nassr dugout. Head coach Stefano Pioli departed at the end of the campaign, and speculation has linked former Fenerbahce boss Jorge Jesus with a return.
