Benfica Nears Loan Deal for Duran as Al-Nassr Covers Salary

Benfica are set to hand a lifeline to Colombian forward Duran, with the club on the brink of sealing a loan move from Al-Nassr, according to Portuguese outlet A Bola.

The 22-year-old is expected at the Estadio da Luz in the coming days to complete a medical and sign a season-long deal. Crucially, Al-Nassr have agreed to shoulder the bulk of his sizeable salary, a financial compromise that has opened the door for Benfica to move decisively.

A costly gamble that never paid off

Duran’s arrival in Saudi Arabia was supposed to be a statement. Al-Nassr paid €77 million to prise the former Aston Villa striker away in January 2025, tying him down on a contract worth around €20m a year until 2030. The numbers screamed marquee signing.

The performances did not.

Across domestic and continental competitions, Duran managed just 18 appearances. No rhythm, no real impact, and no sign that he would justify the outlay. This week, Al-Nassr CEO Jose Semedo effectively drew a line under the experiment, giving the Colombian the green light to find a new club and relaunch a career that has stalled alarmingly quickly.

Loans, setbacks and a World Cup snub

The slide did not start in Riyadh. Before the Benfica move emerged, Duran had already endured frustrating loan spells at Fenerbahce and Zenit St Petersburg. Neither stint brought the regular minutes or form he needed.

In Russia, disciplinary issues compounded the on-pitch struggles. Frozen out of the Zenit first team, he drifted to the margins, and the lack of competitive football carried a heavy price. When Colombia named their squad for the 2026 World Cup, a 17-cap international with clear talent was nowhere to be seen.

For a player once projected as a long-term pillar of the national team, that omission marked a brutal reality check.

Silva’s project and a second chance in Lisbon

Now comes Lisbon, and with it a very different kind of pressure.

Duran will walk into Marco Silva’s squad with no illusions: this is a reset, not a victory lap. Benfica intend to integrate him immediately into pre-season training, fast-tracking his understanding of Silva’s tactical demands and the movements required in a frontline that thrives on intensity and precision.

The club’s attacking unit faces a heavy schedule, with a title race at home and the new Champions League league phase looming. Depth is no luxury; it is a necessity. Duran’s profile — powerful, mobile, and still young enough to grow — offers Benfica another option to rotate, reshape games and stretch defences.

If the loan works, Benfica gain a high-ceiling forward at a fraction of his wage bill. If it does not, Al-Nassr still carry the long-term contract.

For Duran, though, the equation is far simpler. From Al-Nassr’s expensive bench to the lights of the Estadio da Luz, this move is not about accounting or optics. It is about whether a 22-year-old once valued at €77m can finally turn promise into substance on a stage that will not wait for him.