Jhon Durán lands at Benfica: Colombian striker joins on loan with €30m option

At just 22 years old, Jhon Durán has already played for six clubs. Now he is adding a seventh: Benfica. The Portuguese giants have confirmed the arrival of the Colombian international on a season-long loan from Saudi side Al-Nassr. Benfica will pay €6 million for the temporary move, and the deal includes an option to make it permanent for €30 million at the end of the 2026/27 campaign. Durán was all smiles during his unveiling. “I’m happy! I keep saying this is the biggest club in Portugal. I’m very grateful to be here. I have high expectations – I want to play well, give my all and become champion,” he said. His journey has been remarkably fast. Durán began his pro career in 2019 with Envigado in Colombia before moving to MLS side Chicago Fire in 2022. In January 2023, Aston Villa brought him to the Premier League for £14 million, where he quickly became a fan favorite. After a collapsed summer move to West Ham and a memorable Champions League winner against Bayern Munich, Villa sold him to Al-Nassr in January 2025 for £71 million. He scored 8 goals in 13 games for the Saudi club but was soon loaned to Fenerbahçe. That spell was cut short in February 2026 after José Mourinho's dismissal. A brief stint at Russian side Zenit followed in spring 2026, where he netted 3 times in 9 appearances. Now, ahead of the 2026/27 season, Durán hopes to finally find stability at one of Europe's most decorated clubs.