From Medellin to Riyadh by way of Chicago and Birmingham, it’s been quite the journey for Jhon Duran – and he’s only just turned 21 years of age. Duran ’s transfer from Aston Villa to Al-Nassr is both emphatic recognition of his potential and a slightly sad confirmation that the riches of the Saudi Pro League can indeed tempt even very young players away from clubs competing in the Champions League . Setting aside the moral implications of playing in the Saudi Pro League , Duran’s move is seismic.
Jhon Duran: an Aston Villa firecracker about to fade from view? Duran’s new team-mate, Cristiano Ronaldo , was 37 years old when he joined Al-Nassr. Other players have moved to the SPL, some famous and on the decline, others much younger and less established. None has attracted a reported fee of £65 million plus add-ons with his best years ahead of him.
The player has been criticised for a lack of ambition, for greed, for all the usual perceived offences that come with any transfer that has more to do with money than anything else. The move does tell us a few things about Duran, but it tells us about Villa and the Saudi Pro League too. Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, even N’Golo Kante and Mohammed Salah, are achievable acquisitions for whichever league is investing heavily in ageing star talent at any point.
In years gone by they could have ended up in China or America or Australia. Duran is different. Maybe the Saudi league is different too.
Players who move to global gro.