Chicago Fire officially called Jhon Durán’s January 2023 move to Aston Villa a club-record transfer, but did not disclose the fee. MLS reported the initial deal at up to $22 million. After Durán moved to Al-Nassr in 2025, a separate report said Chicago received $8.7 million through a sell-on clause, bringing the club’s reported cumulative return to $30.7 million. Those figures describe different things—and the available reporting does not establish that the cumulative amount remains MLS’s record in October 2026.
How much did Chicago Fire get for Jhon Durán?
The reported initial fee for Durán’s transfer from Chicago Fire to Aston Villa was up to $22 million: $18 million initially, plus $4 million in add-ons, according to MLSsoccer.com. Chicago Fire and Aston Villa both described the fee as undisclosed in their announcements, so the breakdown is reported rather than an official club disclosure.
In 2025, AS USA, citing MLS reporter Tom Bogert, reported that Chicago received another $8.7 million through a 15% sell-on clause when Durán transferred from Aston Villa to Al-Nassr. AS described Chicago’s cumulative return as $30.7 million: the reported $22 million initial-transfer headline amount plus the reported sell-on payment. This is a reported calculation, not the fee Al-Nassr paid Aston Villa and not a total officially disclosed by the clubs. (AS USA)
What the transfer figures mean
| Figure | What it represents | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $22 million | Reported Chicago Fire-to-Aston Villa transfer fee in 2023 | MLS reported $18 million initially and $4 million in add-ons; the clubs did not disclose the terms. |
| $8.7 million | Reported later payment to Chicago under a sell-on clause | AS USA reported the figure in 2025, citing Tom Bogert; it was not an official club disclosure. |
| $30.7 million | Chicago’s reported cumulative return from the two transfers | AS USA’s reported calculation combining the up-to-$22-million headline amount and $8.7 million; not Al-Nassr’s reported purchase price. |
| Up to £71 million | Reported possible value of Durán’s move from Aston Villa to Al-Nassr in 2025 | BBC reported that the deal could reach this amount while Aston Villa described the fee as undisclosed. (BBC Sport) |
Was Durán MLS’s record outbound transfer?
In its January 2023 comparison, MLS ranked Miguel Almirón’s transfer at $26 million first. Durán’s reported deal of up to $22 million tied him with Alphonso Davies for second; Ricardo Pepi followed at $20 million. That ranking compared the reported initial transfer figures at the time, not Chicago’s later cumulative return. (MLSsoccer.com)
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The reported $30.7 million return was described as a record in the 2025 coverage, but it should not be treated as a verified league-wide record today: the cited comparison does not establish MLS’s ranking as of October 2026. It also differs from a buying club’s gross transfer fee because it combines Chicago’s reported proceeds across two transactions.
When did Durán’s transfers happen?
- January 17, 2023: Chicago Fire announced it had agreed to a club-record transfer with Aston Villa. The deal remained subject to a medical, personal terms and a work permit; additional terms were not disclosed. (Chicago Fire FC)
- January 23, 2023: Aston Villa confirmed Durán completed a permanent move from Chicago Fire for an undisclosed fee. (Aston Villa)
- January 31, 2025: Durán joined Al-Nassr from Aston Villa in a deal BBC said could be worth up to £71 million, although the clubs did not disclose the fee. (BBC Sport)
- January 2025: AS USA reported Chicago’s $8.7 million sell-on proceeds and $30.7 million cumulative return, citing Tom Bogert. (AS USA)
Why did Aston Villa sign Durán?
Durán’s 2022 season with Chicago included eight goals, three assists and 1,363 minutes, and he won the club’s Golden Boot, according to Chicago Fire FC. MLS reported 27 appearances and 14 starts. The club’s release presented the transfer as part of its scouting and player-development approach and its participation in the MLS U-22 Initiative; those points provide context, not proof that his statistics alone determined the fee. (MLSsoccer.com)
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Chicago Sporting Director Georg Heitz said the club had seen potential in Durán when it scouted him at 16, calling him someone who could become “one of the top young strikers in the world.” That was Heitz’s assessment at the time of the 2023 announcement, not a retrospective measurement of his performance. (Chicago Fire FC)
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