Mourinho takes action, Duran escapes isolation in Saudi Arabia

Just six months after arriving at Al Nassr as the most expensive signing in Saudi Arabian football history, Jhon Duran said goodbye temporarily to join Fenerbahçe on loan.

Just six months after arriving at Al Nassr as the most expensive signing in Saudi Arabian football history, Duran said goodbye temporarily to join Fenerbahce on loan. A surprising turn in the career of the 21-year-old Colombian striker.

From rising star to "out of breath" contract

In January 2025, Al Nassr shocked the transfer market when they spent around 77 million euros to recruit Duran from Aston Villa - a fee that showed the great ambition and expectations of the Gulf team for this player. But after only 18 matches, despite scoring 12 goals - not a bad performance - Duran still could not meet expectations, at least in terms of influence in playing style and ability to integrate internally.

According to Middle Eastern media, the Colombian striker went through a difficult period personally, could not find a common voice with his teammates and felt lost in the Saudi Arabian football environment. He was the one who proactively asked the Al Nassr leadership to allow him to leave to seek new opportunities.

Fenerbahce quickly stepped in and finalized a deal to loan Duran for two seasons, until June 2026. According to Turkish media, the Istanbul club will shoulder most of Duran's salary of nearly 20 million euros/year - a testament to the faith that new coach José Mourinho has in this striker.

Mourinho, renowned for his ability to revive lost talent, is believed to have been the driving force behind the deal. Fenerbahce will use Duran for both their UEFA Champions League campaign from the third qualifying round and their aim to topple Galatasaray in the Süper Lig next season.

Duran once caused a stir in the Premier League.

Jhon Durán’s career has never been short of flashpoints. At Al Nassr, after a domestic league match, Durán extended his hand to Al Hilal defender Ali Al Bulayihi, but then abruptly withdrew it in a defiant gesture. The incident nearly led to a brawl and forced several members of both teams to intervene.

At the national team level, things are no better. During the most recent training session with the Colombian national team, Durán reportedly had a conflict with coach Néstor Lorenzo, involving James Rodríguez and Jefferson Lerma. He missed the match against Argentina, which the federation explained as a back injury – but was spotted at a private party a few days later, leading the Colombian press to question his professionalism.

Talent does not wait for age, but needs courage

Before arriving at Al Nassr, Durán was Aston Villa's hope, scoring 20 goals in two seasons after moving from MLS. He is the modern striker - fast, powerful, versatile - and at 21, still has plenty of time to shape his career.

However, talent cannot shine without character and maturity. Mourinho understands that better than anyone. The former Real Madrid, Chelsea and Roma coach will not accept egos bigger than the team, but can also become the perfect launching pad if Durán is willing to learn and change.

With his Middle Eastern dreams on hold, Durán is about to enter the competitive, tough but also potentially rejuvenating European football. Fenerbahçe could be the necessary step back for him to get back on track – on one condition: he really wants it. Otherwise, this €77 million deal could soon go down as one of the most forgettable signings in Al Nassr’s history.

Source: https://znews.vn/mourinho-ra-tay-duran-thoat-canh-lac-long-o-saudi-arabia-post1566586.html