Al-Nassr Fans Cast Strong Jhon Duran Verdict After 2-1 Defeat vs Al-Qadisiyah
The spending power of the Saudi Pro League has changed from acquiring players at the pinnacle of their careers (think Sadio Mane and Cristiano Ronaldo) to those who are up-and-coming talents hoping to make waves in the beautiful game. The latter is exemplified by the odd story of former Aston Villa sensation Jhon Duran, who joined Ronaldo-led Al-Nassr in January 2025 after growing dissatisfied with his playing time—or lack thereof—at Villa Park due to Ollie Watkins’ scorching form.
However, what has been his experience adjusting to life in the Middle East? Duran, who was born in Medellin, is still only 21 years old, therefore he has many years to go in his career. As a result, most people were surprised by his choice of Saudi Arabia.
The striker, who was born in 2003, has made 12 appearances for Al-Nassr so far. However, has he been the goal-scoring center-forward that many anticipated him to be in a division with fewer talented players? Alternatively, is he not leaping off the page?
The Beginning of Duran’s Life in Saudi Arabia
Ronaldo and the Colombian sensation have played together in 12 games.
Duran had a challenging life at Aston Villa. Watkins was usually used from the substitutes’ bench because he was Unai Emery’s preferred player up top. His seven goals in 626 Premier League games this season show that he nearly always delivered, but he was unable to establish himself as a starter.
As a result, the Saudi Pro League team Al-Nassr approached, and the generational wealth made it impossible to refuse. He followed in the footsteps of Riyad Mahrez and Roberto Firmino, who left England’s top division for the wealth of Saudi Arabia.
Prior to his January transfer, Duran, a 16-cap Colombian international, was one of the most sought-after players in the world of football because of his goal-scoring prowess. As previously mentioned, few supporters anticipated that he would join players like Ronaldo.
He had a good start to his time at the club. It appeared like Duran, one of the most costly sales in Major League Soccer history, and Al-Nassr were a marriage made in heaven after Duran scored two goals against Al-Fayha and another brace against Al-Ahli the following week.
However, things haven’t always been easy, and his contentious red card against Al-Ettifaq perfectly captures how his time with the team has stalled after such a strong start in the closing third.
This is not to suggest that he isn’t shooting because, well, he is. Duran has scored a goal every 143 minutes and is putting up 4.25 efforts per game. Since making the switch in the middle of the season, he has converted 16.7% of his big chances and scores 13.7% of his shots.
Perhaps the worst of them all was Duran’s most recent effort, which lasted 90 minutes on Friday, 18 at the Prince Mohamed bin Fadh Stadium against Al-Qadisah. The child played the whole game, but he was unable to pull up trees.
Al-Nassr’s most recent loss, as previously said, is a serious setback to their title chances, and Duran’s carelessness may prove costly. Stefano Pioli, the former AC Milan manager who took over the team in September, is hoping to win gold in his first season. See the race for the title below.
Saudi Pro League Standings for 2024–2025
Place
Club
played
W
D
L
Points
1.
Al-Ittihad
28
20
5.
3.
65
2.
Al-Hilal
28
19.
4.
5.
61
3.
Al-Nassr
28
17
6.
5.
57
4.
Al-Ahli
28
17
4.
7.
55
Fans express concern over Duran’s most recent performance, saying, “I wish we had signed Victor Boniface.”
In a game that begged for someone to grab it by the scruff of the neck, he really produced zero opportunities. The former Chicago Fire shooter, who cost Al-Nassr a staggering £71 million, wasted one significant opportunity and had zero shots on goal from an attempted three in addition to his poor chance creation.
Fans are starting to question why the club spent so much money on Duran after his most recent performance in Al-Nassr colours. One person added, “Looks like Jhon Duran forgot how to play football,” in frustration at the Colombian.
As they accept the £320,000-per-week earner’s performances since his last goal in mid-March, another fan remarked, “What a terrible signing Duran has turned out to be.”
The supporters of Al-Awwal Park are also perplexed as to why Duran, who is still honing his skills, was not signed before a more seasoned center-forward like Victor Boniface.
Ever since he was signed by Al-Nassr, Duran has been an issue. He doesn’t try hard and he loses opportunities. We regret not signing Victor Boniface.
His lack of effort is the main source of criticism; one fan called him “useless.” “This football player is worthless.” You can only camp in the penalty box; you can’t dribble, press, or shoot. These days, $90 million gets you this.
Much was anticipated of Duran because of his success in the Premier League, which is widely regarded as the biggest football league in the world. In 78 games for Aston Villa, he scored 20 goals and provided one assist. However, it is not unjust to claim that he has fallen short of expectations.
In actuality, given that he is still in the early phases of his profession, Duran has a lot more to offer. His current setback will only last a short while as he attempts to correct a little setback in his career.
