Jhon Durán is Benfica's target, but his scoring record worries | OneFootball

Benfica are very close to securing the signing of Jhon Durán, a 22-year-old Colombian international striker who once cost Al Nassr €77 million. The deal is expected to be completed as a loan move, in an operation long desired by the Eagles, who had already tried to sign the player in 2023.

In 2026, Jhon Durán scored only two goals, both while playing for Zenit, the club he represented on loan in the second half of the season. He made nine appearances for the Russian side and endured a spell marked by disciplinary problems, far from the form that had propelled him into European football.

Before that, the Colombian shone at Aston Villa, who signed him from Chicago Fire in January 2023. In England, he scored 20 goals in 78 matches, a return that led Al Nassr to invest around €77 million to sign him in January 2025. In Saudi Arabia, he signed a contract running until 2030, with an annual salary of around €20 million, but his spell ultimately fell short of expectations, despite scoring 12 goals in 18 games.

Last season, he was also loaned to Fenerbahçe, where he worked with Mário Branco, Benfica’s current general director, and scored five goals in 21 matches. Without fully convincing in Turkey, he moved out on loan again to Zenit, where he also failed to revive his career.

Now, Benfica believe they can restore Jhon Durán to his best level - setting Mauro Icardi aside..

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.