PL star considering move to Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr despite interest from Real Madrid and PSG: Reports

According to a report by Santi Aouna, Jhon Duran, a rumored target of Real Madrid and PSG, is leaning towards joining Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr side. The Colombian striker has attracted the attention of the two European heavyweights but could move to Saudi Arabia instead.

Duran has impressed since joining Birmingham-based club Aston Villa in January 2023 from Chicago Fire for a reported €16.64 million fee. He has scored 20 goals in 77 games for Unai Emery's side, making him one of the most notable young strikers on the planet.

Real Madrid and PSG reportedly hope to convince Duran to join them instead of the Riyadh-based club. Al-Nassr, meanwhile, believe that Cristiano Ronaldo's presence and the project they have in place could entice the striker to move to the Middle East.

Jhon Duran is contracted to Aston Villa until the summer of 2030, and with the striker having a value of €40 million as per Transfermarkt, the Premier League side look set to incur an impressive windfall if he moves on.

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“The truth is that the president wanted me but, at the same time, he made it known to me that my departure would not constitute a problem" - When Al-Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo revealed why he left Real Madrid

In 2018, Al-Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo joined Juventus from Real Madrid after a legendary spell with Los Blancos that saw him become the Spanish side's record goalscorer.

Ronaldo joined the Madrid-based club in 2009 from Manchester United for a reported €94 million. He helped the team win four UEFA Champions League titles and two LaLiga crowns before leaving for Juventus in 2018 for a reported €117 million.

Speaking at the time about why he left Madrid, the legendary striker said:

“I felt it inside the club, especially from the president, that they no longer considered me the same way that they did in the start. In the first four or five years there I had the feeling of being Cristiano Ronaldo. Less afterwards. The president looked at me through eyes that didn’t want to say the same thing, as if I was no longer indispensable to them, if you know what I mean."

“That’s what made me think about leaving. Sometimes I’d look at the news, where they were saying I was asking to leave. There was a bit of that but the truth is I always had the impression the president would not hold me back. The truth is that the president wanted me but, at the same time, he made it known to me that my departure would not constitute a problem."

The Real Madrid legend plays for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, having bagged 77 goals and 18 assists in 86 games. The 39-year-old is the most prolific player in the sport's history, with 919 strikes.