Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly plotting a shock move to sign Al-Nassr talisman Jhon Duran this summer in the wake of Matheus Cunha’s departure, TEAMtalk has revealed.
Wolves boss Vitor Pereira and his entourage are poised for a busy summer transfer period, having already lost two key starters early in the window. Cunha left for Manchester United, who paid the Brazilian’s £62.5 million release clause, while Manchester City have swooped in to sign Rayyan Ait-Nouri in a £31 million deal.
It would take a blockbuster transfer to replace the importance Cunha had to the Wolves attack, and the Midlands club could have the opportunity to do exactly that with Duran.
Wolves Eyeing Duran Deal
Several English rivals are also interested
As per the report from TEAMtalk, as many as six Premier League clubs have positioned themselves to land Al-Nassr’s Duran, including Wolves, West Ham and Fulham, alongside other unnamed suitors.
Duran has purportedly struggled to adapt to life in the Saudi Pro League since his expensive £71 million move from Aston Villa in January. The 21-year-old has been forced to compete with one of the faces of the division in Cristiano Ronaldo for minutes at centre-forward, which has marred his progress.
He managed just 18 appearances in all competitions last term, though he has nonetheless impressed in these showings and has registered 12 goals.
Al-Nassr are believed to be open to the prospect of letting Duran exit on a loan to put his development back on track, and a return to England could be on the cards.
| Jhon Duran vs Matheus Cunha – 2024/25 League Statistics comparison | ||
|---|---|---|
| Metric | Duran | Cunha |
| Appearances | 13 | 33 |
| Goals | 8 | 15 |
| Assists | 0 | 6 |
| Shots per 90 | 4.20 | 3.81 |
| Shots on Target per 90 | 1.81 | 1.52 |
Dubbed “unbelievable”, Duran impressed in his previous spell at Villa where he stunned spectators with his finishing ability, scoring seven times in just 626 Premier League minutes. Wolves are in need of exactly this, given they will be entering the 2025/26 season without their top-scorer in Cunha, though they should look to move swiftly to anticipate approaches from Premier League rivals.
