Jhon Duran’s future at Al-Nassr has been thrown into doubt, with reports suggesting that he is being linked with a move away from the Saudi Pro League club and six Premier League clubs are believed to have expressed interest in him. In January, the Colombian forward signed a lucrative five-and-a-half-year contract after the Knights of Najd agreed to pay a reported €77 million for him, following a productive spell at Aston Villa.
Duran has enjoyed a decent run of form in his five months at Al-Nassr, scoring 12 goals in 18 appearances for the club as they finished in the third position in the Saudi Pro League table.
According to a report from Arriyadiyah, ‘doubts are swirling’ over the future of Jhon Duran at Al-Nassr due to the difficulties he is facing in his personal life, which have affected his mental state and technical stability. To that end, the Riyadh-based club are now exploring the possibility of letting him leave on loan.
The report adds that a plethora of clubs have expressed willingness in signing Duran should Suadi giants officially decide to release him. The whole issue surrounding his future is expected to be solved in the coming days.
As per TEAMtalk, West Ham are among the six Premier League clubs who are vying for Jhon Duran’s signature. The Hammers are said to see the 21-year-old as a valuable addition to the attacking ranks and a player who could bring energy and goal-scoring instinct to their squad.
Before Duran joined the Knights of Najd in January, West Ham reportedly made a £57m bid for the Colombian, but it fell through. In addition to West Ham, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Fulham are also in the running for Duran, alongside three other unnamed Premier League clubs.
Al-Nassr are reportedly not in talks with Aston Villa manager Unai Emery amid reports that manager Stefano Pioli could leave his position at the Saudi club. Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano recently reported that Pioli is set to leave Al-Nassr and take up the managerial role at Serie A side Fiorentina.
Pioli replaced Luis Castro at the Riyadh-based club in September, but he has yet to end the club’s trophy drought in his nine months there. They failed to win the league for the sixth year running and missed out on next season’s AFC Champions League Elite as they ended in the third position on the table.
As per Arriyadiyah, there are currently no negotiations between Al-Nassr and Unai Emery. Emery, who took over the reins as Villa manager in 2022, has taken the club to unexpected highs. He led them to the Champions League quarter-finals last season and has also taken them to the 2025-26 Europa League, following a sixth-place finish in the Premier League.
An ardent Chelsea fan, Ezekiel’s journey as a football fan began in his childhood, witnessing Ronaldinho dazzle with his skills. His interest in the beautiful game deepened after Nigeria were knocked out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup; he was impressed with the Super Eagles’ fighting spirit in their 2-2 Group B draw against South Korea. Some other World Cup matches which have left a deep impact on him were Belgium’s incredible comeback against Japan in the round of 16 of the 2018 version and the 2022 final.
Lionel Messi is the one true GOAT for Ezekiel and he also follows the Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League owing to him and Cristiano Ronaldo. When not writing, he spends his free time deepening his SEO knowledge and watching skits.
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