A huge update has landed overnight in West Ham’s long-running pursuit of striker Jhon Duran – as club is clearly duped to finally end the saga.
After a year of rumours and mixed signals, the latest twist following exciting new links finally brings clarity to the Jhon Duran transfer saga for the Hammers.
West Ham failed in their summer-long pursuit of Duran last year.
The Hammers then claim they really did make a second attempt to sign the Colombian sensation in January with a record bid that was rejected as he joined Al-Nassr for £7m more.
So will it be third time lucky for West Ham?
Third time lucky for West Ham in Duran pursuit?
The Duran saga reignited out of nowhere two weeks ago.
Graham Potter is on the hunt for a new main striker this summer, as seems to be the case for every West Ham manager in every transfer window.
Nobody expected Duran to re-enter the conversation this summer, though.
After missing out on Duran last summer when Tim Steidten elected to spread his £45m striker budget on two players rather than go all in to meet Villa’s asking price, the ship looked like it had sailed for the Irons.
MORE WEST HAM STORIES
Fans loved the idea of signing a maverick like Duran, feeling he was just what the club needed.
There was cynicism around the renewed bid in January. West Ham’s owners were accused of “faux ambition and phantom bids” over the move.
Jhon Duran does his trademark celebration after scoring against Yokohama Marinos for Al Nassr in the AFC Champions League Elite
Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images
It was confirmed Villa received a £57.5m offer from the Hammers but sold Duran to Saudi side Al-Nassr for £65m instead.
West Ham’s board explained that record Duran bid – confirming it was only made with sales planned to offset the cost.
But the story, remarkably, did not end there.
A sudden and major twist emerged from Saudi a fortnight ago when it was revealed Al Nassr are planning to let Duran leave on loan.
It was reported the 21-year-old had failed to settle in Saudi Arabia and was ‘struggling mentally and personally’.
The Duran update to end all updates emerges for West Ham
The story from a leading Saudi newspaper stated sources had revealed Duran will be with a new club back in Europe on loan next season.
That raised fresh hope the Hammers could finally get their man.
Especially when West Ham confirmed they made a new Duran enquiry.
But when enquiring about Duran for a third time, the Hammers revealed they were told something very different.
“At the moment he is not available on loan we are told,” the West Ham spokesman exclusively told Hammers News on June 14th.
Now the Duran update to end all updates has emerged for West Ham as club is duped.
Jhon Durán of Colombia celebrates after scoring the team's second goal during the South of American FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier between Colombia and Paraguay at Roberto Melendez Metropolitan Stadium on March 25, 2025 in Barranquilla, Colombia. Top inset, the West Ham United club badge. Bottom inset, a view of the Al Nassr FC badge on a shirt for sale in the club shop in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
Hammers clearly duped over Duran after huge development
The Hammers were not the only club linked with Duran when the news broke from Saudi earlier this month.
They were the only Premier League club on record as having registered an interest in bringing him back to England, though.
Big news emerged overnight about the striker and it is clear the Hammers have been completely misled.
Because Duran is in fact leaving Al-Nassr – contrary to what West Ham claim they were told.
He won’t be signing for the Hammers, though, with Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe now close to sealing a deal.
Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg revealed overnight that Fenerbahçe are now pushing to finalise a move for Duran ‘with immediate effect’.
Plettenberg says Duran has been ‘very open’ to returning to Europe and is now signing for Fenerbahçe.
Duran was available but now saga is over
He states that the club’s new sporting director Devin Özek has flown to Colombia for negotiations over a deal.
Mourinho has also held direct talks with the player as final agreements are ironed out.
Fabrizio Romano is also reporting the news while leading Turkish journalist Yağız Sabuncuoğlu says everything is done and Duran has asked for some time to make his final decision.
This is the death knell for West Ham’s year-long pursuit of Duran.
And if the club really did enquire for a third time about signing him, they were clearly misled because he obviously is available.
So while West Ham’s search for a young, pacy, powerful goalscorer plods on – a golden chance to finally bring Duran to east London has been missed once again.