Jhon Durán has completed his transfer from Aston Villa to Al-Nassr for a fee of up to £71m, making him the latest player from one of Europe’s top leagues to move to Saudi Arabia. The 21-year-old Colombian international will wear the No. 9 shirt and play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. The deal includes an initial fee of around £65m, a significant profit for Villa, who signed him from Chicago Fire for £18m. Durán has been in fine form this season, scoring 12 goals in 29 games, including a crucial winner against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
His move was finalized after Villa’s manager, Unai Emery, confirmed that Ollie Watkins would remain at the club despite interest from Arsenal. Emery stated that Watkins was happy to stay and emphasized the strong relationship between the player and the club. Watkins underlined his commitment by tapping the club’s badge after scoring in a Champions League victory over Celtic. Emery described Watkins as highly motivated and appreciative of Villa’s support, adding that the club continues to work on maximizing his potential.
The sale of Durán represents the second-highest transfer fee ever received by Villa, following the £100m Manchester City paid for Jack Grealish. Meanwhile, Al-Nassr’s efforts to strengthen their squad further have hit a setback after their improved £75m bid for Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma was rejected. Brighton had already turned down an initial £54.4m offer and remain firm in their stance. Mitoma, who signed a new contract in October 2023, still has two years left on his deal at the end of the season and is reportedly not interested in a move to Saudi Arabia at this stage of his career.
Elsewhere, Neymar has completed a return to Santos, the club where he began his professional career, after leaving Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal. The announcement was accompanied by Santos sharing a video of his highlights with the club before his transfer to Barcelona in 2013. The Brazilian forward confirmed his return on social media, reflecting on his deep connection with the club and its fans.
Neymar, who remains the world’s most expensive player following his £200m move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, endured an injury-plagued spell at Al-Hilal. Since joining them in the summer of 2023, he made only seven appearances due to anterior cruciate ligament and hamstring injuries. His return to Santos marks a new chapter in his career after 12 years away, during which he established himself as one of the world’s most recognizable footballers.
Making his professional debut for Santos at 17 in 2009, Neymar scored 136 goals in 225 games before moving to Barcelona. His return has sparked excitement among the club’s supporters, with fans eager to see him back in action.
