Barcelona-linked South American forward closing in on Benfica move – Romano | OneFootball

Earlier in the day, Barcelona were linked with a move for Al Nassr striker Jhon Duran.

It was reported that the Colombian forward has once again emerged as a potential target for the Catalans as they continue to look for a new striker.

It was even believed that Duran could be a potential alternative for Barcelona’s top attacking target, Julian Alvarez.

Duran closing in on Benfica move

Duran played with Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

However, Fabrizio Romano has offered fresh perspective on Barcelona’s pursuit of Jhon Duran, claiming that the forward might not join the club at all.

As per the Italian transfer expert, Duran is closing in on a move to SL Benfica as he looks to take the next step in his career.

Duran had joined Al Nassr in 2025 but spent most of the time away from Saudi Arabia, with loan moves to Fenerbahce and Zenit St. Petersburg.

He featured in 18 competitive matches for Al Nassr, scoring 12 goals. He is now set for a move to Benfica, where he will compete with Vangelis Pavlidis.

Duran was not an Alvarez alternative

Duran is set for a move to Benfica. (Photo by Ahmad Mora/Getty Images)

Romano adds that Duran, in any case, was not targeted as an alternative for Julian Alvarez at Barcelona.

This makes sense as Duran is a more conventional centre-forward whereas Alvarez is way more versatile and can operate out wide, if necessary.

Barcelona remain keen on signing Alvarez, although Atletico Madrid have doubled down on their stance. They do not want to sell their star player to a direct rival.

Even Joan Laporta has recently hinted that Alvarez negotiations might not continue indefinitely and there will be a stop point. For now, though, Barcelona still remain interested in acquiring the services of the Argentina international.

All eyes will be on Alvarez this weekend as he will be a part of the Argentina team that takes on Spain in the World Cup final.