THE last thing Aston Villa fans need to see right now is loveable rogue Jhon Duran.
Colombian 22-year-old, Duran, is set for a reunion with his former club tonight for Fenerbahce after having his two-match ban reduced by UEFA.
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Duran was sent off for Fenerbahce against Ferencvaros in November for a headbuttCredit: AFP
Duran signed for Fenerbahce in July 2025Credit: Getty
Duran scored 20 goals in 78 appearances for Aston VillaCredit: Getty
Loose-cannon Duran was sent off for the Turkish side against Ferencvaros in November for a HEADBUTT on an opposing player in the first minute of added time.
He had originally been slapped with a two-match ban, meaning he would miss the Europa League clash before the reduction.
Unai Emery’s side are in the midst of an injury crisis and in desperate need of some attacking umph.
They will be reminded of Duran’s worldies off the bench, particularly on the European stage, if he features tonight.
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Duran arrived at Villa Park, as a raw, fresh-faced 19-year-old, joining from the MLS in 2023.
He went on to score 20 goals in 78 appearances for the club, including three in the Champions League.
His jaw-dropping winner against Bayern Munich in October 2024 will go down in Villa folklore.
He also netted a peach of a goal from range against Everton in the league a month earlier.
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But he ruffled feathers during his time in the West Midlands with a particular cross symbol making the club’s fans cross.
Duran famously crossed both of his arms on a live social media feed last July in homage to what he thought was his new club, West Ham.
He would have done well to remember that he was still an Aston Villa player at the time and the deal to move to the Hammers would quickly fall through.
This left him having to weasel his way back in with Villa fans which he did so with 12 goals in 27 appearances despite playing second fiddle to Ollie Watkins.
It meant Villa fans have mostly forgotten him jumping the gun with his early pledge of allegiance to the Hammers.
He left for Al Nassr last January in a deal worth a whopping £64million, but his time in Saudi Arabia only lasted six months.
His time was cut short due to a mix of behind-the-scenes chaos and “confusion” over strict local laws regarding unmarried cohabitation.
His desire to live with his girlfriend in the more liberal Bahrain, which would have meant a 600 mile round trip to Riyadh where Al Nassr are based, caused tension.
Fenerbahce signed the striker on loan from Al-Nassr in mid-2025, when they were managed by Jose Mourinho.
It didn’t take long for reports of conflict due to Duran missing early training, with Mourinho allegedly calling him “disrespectful”.
Fenerbahce officially denied these statements, calling them false and stressing positive relations as Duran integrated with the team.
In October, Turkish media then claimed he was “depressed” and “unwilling” to play after Mourinho’s departure.
Fenerbahce is home to a number of Premier League misfits, with former Villa midfielder Marco Asensio another familiar face tonight.
He will be a sight for sore eyes having scored eight goals in 21 matches for Villa, and he’s continued to find the net since his summer transfer to Fenerbahce in the summer.
He has nine goals and seven assists to his name with the Turkish club, while mainly operating behind a central striker.
Ex-Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson, Nelson Semedo from Wolves, ex-Arsenal Matteo Geundouzi and former Manchester United midfielder Fred are also at the club.
