Duran's journey through three teams in one year: The steep decline of Colombia's most expensive player in history

By Hanbing The Milan Winter Olympics have started, allowing snow sports fans to watch exciting downhill races in Cortina near the Alps. Yet for football followers, the quickest "downhill" belongs to a football genius: Duran, who set the winter transfer record a year ago with 77 million plus 13 million in add-ons, has changed three clubs within 12 months—from the Premier League to Saudi Arabia, then Turkey, and now he lands in the snowy expanse of Russia.

Zenit Saint Petersburg has loaned Duran for half a year, with a buyout clause of 40 million euros attached. At just 21, Duran surpassed James Rodríguez to become Colombia’s most expensive player ever, but in only one year, he has plummeted from the peak to the depths of his career. People talk about Duran’s extraordinary talent as well as his unchanging bad temper. It is precisely this character flaw that caused him to crash from his first career high so rapidly.

Duran’s talent was evident at age 11, when the tall and slender yet skillful player caught the eye of Envigado coach Perea in Colombia. Perea valued education highly, knowing that a good schooling could help players control their primal urges and extend their careers. However, while Duran was smart, he disliked studying and often skipped classes to play football or listen to reggae music.

Duran’s poor English made it difficult for him to integrate into team locker rooms. Despite his talent, he struggled to control his emotions, receiving his first professional yellow and red cards at age 16 in Colombia. Over six years as a striker, he played 194 matches, scoring 54 goals and providing 14 assists, but also accumulated a staggering 50 yellow cards and 5 red cards—numbers unbefitting a forward. Moreover, his red cards came in four countries where he played (Colombia, USA, England, and Saudi Arabia), and it’s no surprise if they continue in Russia.

During his time in the MLS, Duran’s temper was widely known. After joining Aston Villa in January 2023, he received a red card for violently stepping on an opponent; in January 2025 at Al-Nassr, he was sent off for slapping an opponent’s head; last summer on loan at Fenerbahçe, he got a red card after only 30 minutes as a substitute in a Europa League group match due to a clash involving heading an opponent. Following a derby goal against Galatasaray, he even climbed a barrier to make an obscene gesture at opposing fans. Provoking opponents, fans, and even journalists is a recurring pattern with Duran.

Off the pitch, Duran often shows a lack of emotional intelligence, frequently unfollowing his club’s official accounts on social media. In summer 2024, rumors linked him with West Ham, and during a goal celebration for Villa, he crossed his hands mimicking West Ham’s club badge. Before an FA Cup match against Chelsea, he posted on social media celebrating compatriot Ramirez’s signing with Chelsea, adding three blue heart emojis. Chelsea was interested in signing him, and Duran openly showed his desire to join the London club. Such repeated behaviors gradually eroded Villa fans’ affection for him.

Villa coach Emery once considered these mistakes typical of youth, but Colombia’s coach Lorenzo and Fenerbahçe’s coach Terzić disagreed. During the June World Cup qualifiers last year, Duran clashed with teammates during halftime and sat on the bench in the second half. After the match, he stormed into the locker room, verbally abused and shoved teammates. Coach Lorenzo, who tried to intervene, was grabbed by Duran who struggled to break free; only the quick intervention of James Rodríguez and Lerma calmed the situation.

At Al-Nassr, Duran often wasted teammates’ great passes, missing several one-on-ones and open goals. He refused to accept Cristiano Ronaldo’s authority within the team and played selfishly, causing frustration among teammates. At Fenerbahçe, after direct conflicts with Mourinho’s successor Terzić, he was sidelined to the bench, leading to his second loan move within six months.

Colombian legend Asprilla criticized Duran, emphasizing that his real challenge is not scoring goals but his professional attitude: “Having character and lacking manners are two different things; he needs to come down from the clouds.” Duran’s personality issues stem from his upbringing—he joined Envigado’s youth academy alone at 11, feeling lonely and once sneaking back to his home in Medellín’s slums. The situation improved only after the club moved his family to a local apartment. Duran values family ties, and his girlfriend has accompanied him through his international moves. This family indulgence and interference in his career choices are key reasons behind his rapid decline.

Excluded from European competitions and facing harsh weather conditions, Duran’s chances to revive his career in Saint Petersburg appear bleak. A striker whose number of red and yellow cards even exceeds his goals will find it difficult to reverse his fate without changes in his surrounding environment.