28 Jun 2025 10:15:26
Apparently jhon duran has been made available for al nassr. I think we should go in for him, looked like a brilliant player when at villa and was surprised they let him go.
28 Jun 2025 10:55:58
He looked a good player, still very young and has a lot of developing to do. I'm not sure he's the guy just yet to be the first choice, under the pressure he'd have at a club like ours.
I think he worked well at Villa with Watkins as first choice. Allowing Duran to be the back up, have less pressure, and being able to come on for the final 20 minutes against tired legs. Most of his goals came from the bench rather than as a starter. He needs another year or two as the super sub while he develops and rounds out his game before being ready to be first choice for a top club.
Besides Al Nasser paid a huge fee for him, they won't sell him on the cheap so he will still cost 50-60m. Which does represent a gamble on a player who still has a lot of development to do to reach his potential.
28 Jun 2025 13:08:18
Looks like a great player and we should definitely be in for someone of his quality and potential! However it does really depend on whether we get priced out on the deal. Would be interesting to see how Fernerbace are structuring the deal.
28 Jun 2025 13:58:07
Reds that was my thinking. If they can afford him then we definitely can.
{Ed007's Note - Won't Duran be hit with a hefty tax bill if he returns to the UK so soon?}
28 Jun 2025 14:16:55
Plus the problem at Villa was he thought he should be a starter and not understudy, is he ready yet to be number 9 at United clearly Rasmus can’t handle it…I feel w e need a proven striker who is experienced and can handle extreme pressure, we can’t afford another potential wait and hope guy.
28 Jun 2025 15:22:26
Ed007, if he’s hit with a fine, any idea how much?
{Ed007's Note - It's not a fine as such mate it's just that his Saudi earnings would now be liable for UK tax - he's basically taken a 6 month break (which puts him in two separate UK tax windows that run April - April) so he'd be billed for 45% of his Saudi earnings. He was in the UK for the start of the tax year April 2024 until January 25, he left for Saudi and if he comes back that's him into another tax year that started in April 2025.
I'm not an expert on this stuff btw but I read a good bit about it when Jota was coming back to Celtic and there are ways round it but I don't think Duran would qualify using any loopholes after only 6 months away from the UK.
The same tax situation is the main reason Henderson ended up at Ajax. ??
29 Jun 2025 00:12:12
If he's been out the UK for 18p. days of the year he's non dom for tax purposes in the first year.