According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Fenerbahçe has agreed a deal to sign Jhon Durán on loan from Al Nassr. Agreement is already in place between all parties involved. As part of the agreement, Al Nassr will let Durán leave on an initial loan with full salary covered until June 2025, Fenerbahçe accepted. It was reported that Durán has also accepted Fenerbahçe’s proposal after director Devin Özek travelled to Colombia, the player is now prepared to return to Istanbul in the next hours. It wasn’t upto a year that Jhon Duran made that big salary money breaking move from Aston Villa in the English Premier League to Al Nassr in the Saudi Arabia League. One might keep wondering what went wrong with Cristiano Ronaldo’s team mate at Al Nassr?
What went wrong with Jhon Duran in Saudi Arabia?
Performance and Adaptation Issues
Durán faced some problems with his “mental state and technical ability” at Al Nassr, with reports indicating that issues playing in Saudi Arabia “affected his mental state and technical stability.” While he managed to score 12 goals in 18 appearances for the club, which is a decent statistical return, this wasn’t enough to be considered successful.
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Team Performance and Expectations
Despite Durán’s contributions, Al Nassr finished third in the Saudi Pro League, 13 points behind champions Al-Ittihad, failing to secure any silverware and missing out in the Asian Champions League. This was particularly disappointing given the club’s massive investment in star players and their expectations to dominate domestically.
Cultural and Legal Adaptation Challenges
Durán was reportedly “left confused by a strict Saudi Arabian law” following his move, highlighting the cultural adjustment difficulties he faced in adapting to life in Saudi Arabia. This suggests broader challenges beyond just football performance. There was reports that he wasn’t allowed to live with his girlfriend in Saudi, he decides to live in Bahrain with her girlfriend, from there he reports to training weekly.
Financial Burden
Durán’s contract includes wages estimated at €15 million net per season, making him an expensive investment that hasn’t delivered the expected returns. Cristiano Ronaldo’s new lucrative deal with Al-Nassr has forced the club to lower their wage bill, contributing to their willingness to loan out Durán.
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Personal Circumstances
Saudi media outlet Arriyadiyah suggested that “issues in his personal life had prompted him to request a return to Europe,” indicating that the 21-year-old Colombian struggled with the lifestyle change involved in moving to Saudi Arabia.
The move represents a classic case of a young talent struggling to adapt to a completely different football culture, lifestyle, and environment, despite the financial incentives. Al Nassr’s willingness to loan him out after just five months, covering his full salary, demonstrates their acknowledgment that the transfer hasn’t worked as planned for either party.
