Benfica Nears Duran Loan from Al-Nassr as Salary Covered
Benfica are on the brink of landing Colombian international forward Duran from Al-Nassr, in a move that carries all the hallmarks of a career reboot and a calculated gamble from the Portuguese giants.
The 22-year-old is set to arrive at Estadio da Luz on loan, with Al-Nassr ready to shoulder the bulk of his hefty salary to make the deal happen, according to Portuguese outlet A Bola. For Benfica, it is a low-risk move with potentially high upside. For Duran, it is a lifeline.
A blockbuster fee, a flat spell
Al-Nassr paid a staggering €77 million to prise the former Aston Villa striker away in January 2025, handing him a contract worth around €20 million per year until 2030. It was the kind of deal that screams franchise player, long-term pillar, instant impact.
It never materialised.
Across domestic and continental competitions, Duran mustered just 18 appearances in Saudi Arabia. No real rhythm, no sustained run, no sense that the club had found the forward they thought they were buying. The investment stayed on the balance sheet; it never truly hit the pitch.
This week, Al-Nassr CEO Jose Semedo effectively drew a line under that chapter, giving Duran the green light to find a new club and revive a career that has stalled at the very moment it should be accelerating.
Loans that went nowhere
The warning signs had already been there. Before Benfica came calling, Duran’s trajectory had been dented by unsuccessful loan spells at Fenerbahce and Zenit St Petersburg.
In Turkey, he never quite imposed himself. In Russia, the situation deteriorated. Disciplinary issues cut short his involvement and saw him frozen out of the first-team squad at Zenit, a damaging blow for a young forward trying to build trust and continuity.
That lack of consistent club football carried a heavy price. Despite owning 17 caps for Colombia, Duran missed out on the 2026 World Cup squad, a brutal reminder of how quickly international status can evaporate when minutes dry up and problems mount.
A reset in Lisbon
Now comes Lisbon, and with it, a clean slate.
Duran is scheduled to arrive in the Portuguese capital in the coming days to undergo his medical before officially joining Marco Silva’s squad. Benfica plan to move quickly once the formalities are complete. The forward will be thrown straight into pre-season training, asked to absorb the tactical demands and intensity of Silva’s system at speed rather than eased in gently.
The message is clear: this is not a sightseeing trip or a soft landing. Benfica want him ready, and they want him relevant.
Benfica’s bet up front
For Benfica, the timing is deliberate. The club is preparing for a gruelling campaign, juggling domestic ambitions with the demands of the Champions League league phase, and the need for depth and variety in the frontline is obvious.
Duran offers exactly that on paper: physical presence, mobility, and international experience, even if his club form has lagged behind his potential. With Al-Nassr covering the vast majority of his wages, Benfica are effectively betting on upside rather than paying for past reputation.
If the environment at Estadio da Luz can sharpen his focus and restore his confidence, the Colombian could yet become one of the more intriguing stories of the season in Portugal — a high-cost asset reborn on a cut-price loan.
