Benfica Signs Duran: Colombian Forward's Career Reset in Lisbon

Benfica are closing in on a deal for Colombian international forward Duran, with the 22-year-old set to swap the glare of the Saudi Pro League for the lights of the Estadio da Luz on an initial loan from Al-Nassr.

It is a move loaded with risk and opportunity on both sides. For Benfica, a high-ceiling striker at a reduced financial hit. For Duran, perhaps the last big chance to prove he belongs at the top level.

From €77m headline act to make-or-break loan

Al-Nassr paid a staggering €77 million to prise the former Aston Villa striker away in January 2025, handing him a contract worth around €20m per year through to 2030. The fee and wages screamed franchise player. The reality never matched the billing.

Across domestic and continental competitions, Duran managed just 18 appearances in Saudi Arabia. No rhythm, no sustained run, no real impact. A marquee signing who never quite became the reference point Al-Nassr expected.

The club’s hierarchy has now effectively admitted as much. According to A Bola, CEO Jose Semedo has given Duran the green light this week to find a new home, a fresh start, a way to resurrect a career that has stalled badly before its prime.

To get the deal over the line, Al-Nassr are ready to co-fund the move and cover the vast majority of his hefty salary, clearing the path for Benfica to act without tearing up their wage structure.

Loans that went nowhere – and a World Cup snub

The warning signs were already there before Portugal came calling.

Duran’s time on the books at Al-Nassr has been punctuated by unsuccessful loan spells at Fenerbahce and Zenit St Petersburg. In neither Istanbul nor St Petersburg did he find the form or consistency expected of a player with 17 caps for Colombia.

His stint at Zenit was particularly damaging. Disciplinary issues saw him frozen out of the first-team squad, turning what should have been a showcase move into another line on a growing list of frustrations.

The consequences hit hardest on the international stage. A lack of regular club football ultimately cost him a place in Colombia’s 2026 World Cup squad, a brutal setback for a player once tipped to be a central figure for the national team.

Silva’s project and a new focal point

Now comes Lisbon. A different environment, a different kind of pressure.

Duran is scheduled to arrive in the Portuguese capital in the coming days to undergo his medical before officially joining Marco Silva’s squad. Once the formalities are done, there will be no easing in. The plan is clear: he will be thrown straight into pre-season training, asked to absorb Benfica’s tactical demands and adapt quickly to the rhythm of a side that expects to dominate the ball and the scoreboard.

Silva will see a forward who can stretch defences, occupy centre-backs and attack the box with aggression. Benfica will see a financially shrewd gamble on a player whose talent has never really been in doubt, only his consistency and decision-making.

Benfica’s frontline gets extra edge

Benfica are bracing for a gruelling season, juggling a domestic title push with the demands of the Champions League league phase. Depth in attack is not a luxury; it is a necessity.

Duran’s arrival is designed to sharpen that edge. A frontline already tasked with carrying the club through a long, unforgiving campaign will now have another option, another profile, another potential match-winner.

For Benfica, it is a calculated swing at upside. For Duran, it feels simpler: one more chance to show he is more than a transfer fee and a forgotten headline.