Zenit Saint Petersburg have secured the loan signing of Colombian forward Jhon Durán from Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr, the Russian Premier League side announced Monday. The 22-year-old will remain with Zenit until the end of the 2025/26 season, cutting short a previous loan spell with Turkish Super Lig team Fenerbahçe.
Durán initially joined Al Nassr from Aston Villa in January 2025 in a deal reported to be worth around $80 million, according to British media. He had scored 12 goals in 18 games for the Saudi side before being loaned to Fenerbahçe, where he found the net five times in 18 appearances and helped the club win the domestic Super Cup.
The move to Zenit represents the sixth club of Durán’s senior career and his fourth team in just over a year. Al Nassr terminated Durán’s loan with Fenerbahçe to facilitate the transfer. Zenit currently sits second in the Russian league table with 39 points, one point behind league leaders Krasnodar.
Durán, who has 3 goals in 17 international caps for Colombia, originally transferred to Al Nassr for an initial fee of €77 million, plus add-ons. His move from Chicago Fire to Al Nassr in 2025 resulted in Chicago Fire receiving an additional 15% of the profit from the subsequent transfer. Durán’s departure from Chicago Fire was the most expensive transfer in MLS history, valued at €29.5 million.
Prior to his move to Al Nassr, Durán played for Aston Villa, scoring 20 goals in 78 appearances. He was the subject of interest from West Ham United in the summer of 2024, with Villa rejecting multiple bids, including a £57 million offer in January 2025.
