Jhon Duran’s move to Saudi Arabia has naturally attracted plenty of media attention.
The 21-year-old – who moved to Al-Nassr for a fee in the region of £71m last month – is reportedly set to earn an eye-watering £320,000-a-week, some increase of £245,000-a-week compared to his salary at Villa Park.
Duran, however, will not have it all his way, with a bizarre ruling meaning he cannot live in Saudi Arabia and will instead have to find a new home some 600 miles away in another country. But why you may ask?
Jhon Duran will not live remotely near Al-Nassr’s training facilities or stadium due to bizarre law
Duran’s goal catalogue this season spoke for itself, but it was an offer Unai Emery’s side could not turn down. Given the Villans want to be competitive in the market and balance PSR rulings, the Premier League big boys have since recruited Marcus Rashford, Axel Disasi and Marco Asensio this month (all on loan), so for now, it looks like a job well done at Villa Park.
“My opinion about him, he’s a fantastic player, fantastic potential,” said Emery when asked about Duran’s move. “I was close with him, trying to work with him in his development. They have their goals, ambitions and if he’s leaving, it’s because he wants to go another way in his career.”
But after his move to Saudi Arabia, it has now emerged, as first relayed by The Sun, that the 21-year-old will not be able to live in the country due to laws surrounding his partner.
It is illegal to live in the country with a female partner unless you are married, so Duran and his girlfriend have reportedly settled on living in Bahrain and he will instead complete a 600-mile round trip to training and to their stadium when required.
That equates to a plane journey of one hour and twenty minutes, every day, just to get there. Duran will then have to complete the same journey back to Bahrain each time he commutes for work.
Under Islamic law, cohabitation by unmarried couples is discouraged — and private landlords often demand proof of marriage before agreeing to rent out properties in the country.
Money shouldn’t be an issue to Duran, with his new deal in the Middle East set to earn him a whopping £1.4m per month. That means he will take home a tax-free amount of £321,000 per week, £46,000 per day and £1900 an hour.
In FourFourTwo’s view, the Colombia international will likely stay for a short period in Saudi Arabia before returning to Europe. We expect to see him back in one of the top five leagues before the start of next season.
