Colombia international Jhon Duran has signed for Benfica on a season-long loan from Al-Nassr, making the Portuguese club the seventh of his career — and the seventh country he has played in — at just 22 years of age.

Benfica will pay a loan fee of £5.19m (6.1m euros) to secure Duran for the 2026-27 campaign, with the option to purchase him permanently for £25.5m (30m euros) at the end of the season.

"I am happy! I continue to say that it is the biggest club in Portugal. I am very grateful to be here," Duran said after completing his move. "I have very high expectations of being here. I want to play well, give my all and become champion."

A career on the move

Duran's remarkable journey began in his homeland when he made his professional debut with Envigado in 2019. He then crossed the Atlantic to join MLS side Chicago Fire in 2022, before Aston Villa paid £14m to bring him to England in January 2023.

The young striker quickly established himself as a fan favourite at Villa Park, and a proposed move to West Ham in the summer of 2024 ultimately fell through. His most memorable Villa moment came in the UEFA Champions League, when he scored a famous winner against Bayern Munich — a goal that cemented his reputation across Europe.

That performance helped drive his £71m transfer to Al-Nassr in January 2025, despite the Colombian netting eight goals in just 13 appearances for the Saudi Arabian club.

Brief stints at Fenerbahce and Zenit

Duran's time in Saudi Arabia lasted only half a season before he departed on loan to Fenerbahce. However, manager Jose Mourinho was dismissed fewer than four weeks after Duran's debut, and the loan arrangement was cancelled in February 2026.

He then headed to Russia, scoring three goals in nine appearances for Zenit St Petersburg, before Benfica moved to bring him to Lisbon for this latest chapter.

Now settled in Portugal, Duran has the opportunity to find some stability and fulfil the considerable potential he has shown at every stop along the way.