Jhon Duran’s future may be set to take a shocking twist just four months into his time at Al Nassr following his January transfer from Aston Villa.
Duran, 21, made a £65m switch to Al Nassr in January 2025 and linked up with Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane.
In his 18 appearances for the Saudi side in 2024/25, he netted 12 times but could not help secure silverware as Al Nassr finished third in the league, 13 points behind champions Al-Ittihad.
There has rarely been a question about Duran’s on-field ability, but at times his temperament has got the better of him, and reports suggested that this happened during Colombia’s 0-0 World Cup qualifier draw against Peru on June 6.
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There was initially a claim that he and teammates James Rodriguez and Jefferson Lerma had become embroiled in a heated exchange.
"Thank God I'm happy, at peace with all my colleagues," Duran told reporters after the match.
"I have no problems, either with my coach or with the 'old men', as I call them, with James and with Lerma - I say that with affection. Since I arrived here, they have been more like my parents.
"I have an affinity with Lerma, so I don't think there's a need to go out and say that kind of thing, because it upsets a group and many others. I'll leave it to God, and everyone else can figure out their own imagination and thoughts.”
Rodriguez added: “What fight? That’s false. It’s completely false. Everything that’s been said is false. On the contrary, we need to stay together and send positive vibes, because I believe all those things do us no good.”
And although Duran rubbished claims of a feud with his international teammates, reports suggest that his future at club level is uncertain.
According to reports from the Middle East, he could be set to leave Al Nassr on loan.
Al-Riyadh claims that “sources explained that the player may go on loan due to the difficulties he is facing on a personal level, which have affected his mental state and technical stability. They pointed out that there are clubs that have expressed a willingness to loan him out”.
Topics: Al Nassr, Aston Villa, Saudi Arabia, James Rodriguez, Football, Transfer News
Luke Davies