Benfica Signs Duran on Major Loan for 2026-27 Season

Benfica have made their move up front, officially unveiling Duran from Al-Nassr on a season-long loan for the 2026-27 campaign – and the numbers underline how much they believe in him.

The Lisbon club will pay €6.1 million for the loan alone, a hefty outlay for a one-year deal, and have secured an option to buy the Colombian striker for €30m at the end of the season. It is a structure that screams audition now, long-term bet later.

“Biggest club in Portugal”

Duran arrived talking like a man who knows exactly where he has landed.

“I’m very grateful to God, just as I said when I arrived,” he said after completing the move. “I’m happy! I still say that it’s the biggest club in Portugal. I’m very grateful to be here. I have very high expectations for my time here. I want to play well, give it my all, and become a champion.”

No hedging, no soft landing. He wants trophies, and he wants them immediately.

The 22-year-old has promised work as well as words. “I want to work hard and help my team,” he added, laying down the simplest of manifestos for a striker walking into a demanding fanbase and a club built on forward heroes.

A rapid rise across continents

Duran’s path to Lisbon has not been gentle or linear. It has been a sprint.

He first emerged at Envigado, the Colombian club with a reputation for polishing raw talent, then jumped to MLS with Chicago Fire, where his blend of power and movement started to attract wider attention. From there, his career accelerated.

Aston Villa brought him to the Premier League in January 2023, a stage that amplified his name again. Al-Nassr then pushed hardest, paying €77m to take him to Saudi Arabia, a fee that underlined how highly he is rated even if his next steps came via loans rather than a settled role.

Spells at Fenerbahce and Zenit followed, keeping him in European competition and under the gaze of major clubs. Now, Benfica have decided this is the moment to bring him back to the continent’s spotlight in their colours, with the option to turn this into a long-term partnership if the fit is right.

International edge for a demanding stage

Duran does not arrive as a prospect untouched by pressure. He already has 17 caps and three goals for Colombia, experience that hardens a player for nights when the ball feels heavy and the stadium expects.

At Benfica, expectation is non-negotiable. A sizeable loan fee, a €30m buy option and a fanbase that measures forwards against a long line of prolific predecessors will ensure every touch is judged, every finish weighed.

That is the stage Duran has chosen. Now he has a season to prove he belongs at the “biggest club in Portugal” on a permanent basis.