Featured Image Credit: Al Nassr
Topics: Al Nassr, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Pro League, Aston Villa
Jack Kenmare
Topics: Al Nassr, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Pro League, Aston Villa
With three days remaining of the January window, Jhon Duran has signed a lucrative five-and-half-year contract with Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr.
The 21-year-old striker will play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Aymeric Laporte and Sadio Mane in the coming weeks after he completed a £64 million transfer to the Riyadh-based club.
Duran, who has been one of Aston Villa's standout performers this season with 12 goals in 29 appearances, was pictured with the number nine shirt on Friday following a medical.
A statement from his former club read: "Everyone at Aston Villa would like to wish Jhon all the best in the next step of his professional career."
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So how much will he earn at Al Nassr? According to Italian journalist Nicolò Schira, Duran has been handed an eye-watering salary of €20 million [£16.7m] per year at Al-Awwal Park.
If you break that sum down, Duran will earn around £46,000 per day, £1,900 per hour and £31 per minute – which is a significant salary increase on his previous deal at Villa Park worth £75,000 per week, according to Capology.
Earlier this month, it was suggested that Aston Villa had 'no intention of selling' the 21-year-old forward in January but all that changed when Al Nassr arrived with a big-money offer.
Speaking after their Champions League win over Celtic mid-week, Unai Emery appeared to confirm a move.
“You know my opinion on him (Duran),” he said. “A fantastic potential player. I was always trying to get him with my advice. I was so, so close with him, trying to work with him for his development.
“But the player has their own objective, (their) ambition. I told you last week, I wanted him here. But what does he want?”.
Duran joined Villa from MLS side Chicago Fire in 2023 for around $18.3 million [£14.75m] but despite his impressive goals-to-game ratio, only seven of his 55 Premier League appearances have been as a starter.
Thoughts on his move to the Saudi Pro League? Let us know in the comments.