Colombian forward Jhon Jader Durán, 22, has signed with Zenit St. Petersburg after leaving Turkey's Fenerbahçe. This marks his sixth professional team and a chance to regain consistency. The deal is a six-month loan without a purchase option.
Jhon Jader Durán, the 22-year-old from Antioquia, has arrived in Russia to join Zenit St. Petersburg, coached by Serguéi Semak. Coming from Fenerbahçe, where he played six months and featured in 21 matches with 5 goals and 3 assists, Durán traveled on Thursday, February 5, to finalize the move. He will share the locker room with compatriot Wilmar Barrios and fill the spot left by Mateo Cassierra, now in Brazilian football.
The deal was enabled by canceling the loan between Al-Nassr, owners of his rights, and Fenerbahçe, with possible financial compensation to the Turkish side, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. The Zenit contract lasts only until July, without a buy option, requiring Durán to return to Al-Nassr afterward.
Trained at Envigado FC, where he debuted young and stood out for his power and speed, Durán moved to MLS's Chicago Fire in 2022 before heading to Europe. In Russia, he will join training to get physically ready for the Premier League's restart in three weeks. Zenit, second with 39 points one behind leaders Krasnodar, plays matchday 19 on February 27 against FC Baltika, where Durán might get playing time.
This move is crucial for the forward, who aims to return to Colombia's national team under Néstor Lorenzo for the 2026 World Cup, despite prior issues within the squad.
