Jhon Duran proves Unai Emery right at Aston Villa as new loan agreement in place
There were plenty of complaints when Jhon Duran was allowed to leave Aston Villa in January 2024.
Duran departed Villa and joined Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, in a deal worth upwards of £64million.
The deal came as a surprise to many after Duran had been electric for Villa throughout the campaign, representing a constant source of goals in claret and blue.
Many called for Villa to sell Ollie Watkins rather than Duran, as the Colombia international was seen as the better and younger option in B6.
Duran went on to have a positive start in Saudi Arabia, but it is fair to say he has proven Unai Emery right in the past year.
Jhon Duran set for new loan move
Villa recently secured a 1-0 win against Fenerbahce in the Europa League, where the build-up centred around facing Duran and Marco Asensio.
The Villa Park faithful were expectant of a goal from the Colombian as he felt destined to find the net and rub his former side’s nose in it.
That didn’t happen in the end, and the Villans secured three points, but the clash actually represented the beginning of the end for the striker.
Fenerbahce have gotten just five goals out of the 22-year-old, and he is now set to depart and agree on another loan move for the rest of the season.
Shockingly, a move to Zenit St Petersburg is now in the pipeline, with Santi Aouna reporting Duran is on his way to sign for the Russian outfit.
The ex-Chicago Fire man has terminated his loan in Turkyie and is now set to land a fresh agreement in the Russian Premier League.
Aston Villa laughing after securing £64m for Duran
The Colombian was genuinely a maverick last season for Villa, and in terms of pure impact, there wasn’t much better in the entire Premier League.
Duran netted 12 goals in just half a season of action in claret and blue, including his iconic winner against Bayern Munich and a world-class strike against Everton.
That sort of form left many supporters fuming in B6 when Emery and Co. made the decision to sell him, even if a £64m fee was involved.
Anyone who doubted the Villans has now been proven massively wrong and the claret and blue outfit are seriously laughing at the expense of Al Nassr.
Having secured a £46m profit for a player who had one good half-season, looking back at it, is insanely good business.
The fact that Duran now finds himself on the way to Russia just proves how far downhill his career has gone without Emery behind him.