Aston Villa's most expensive transfer exits of all-time as Jhon Duran nears £65m Saudi departure

Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran has completed a medical and is set to finalise his proposed transfer to Saudi giants Al-Nassr in a deal which will see the Villans make a profit of £49m on the youngster that they signed from Chicago Fire just two years ago.

Duran arrived at Aston Villa for £15m in January 2023 as something of an unknown quantity in the early months of Unai Emery time in charge of the club and is set to leave the West Midlands as one of the most sought after young strikers in world football for a blockbuster fee of £64m.

The Colombian has scored a total of 20 goals in 78 appearances for the Villa Park club, with the vast majority of those coming from the bench. During the last 24 months he has become synonymous for being a superb impact substitute and is renowned for striking the ball excellently from distance.

Duran’s exit makes him one of the most expensive player to leave Aston Villa in recent history, but how does he compare to high-profile departures such as Moussa Diaby, Douglas Luiz and most recently Jaden Philogene? Here’s all you need to know.

1. Jack Grealish to Manchester City - £100m (2021)

Manchester City signed Villa fan favourite and academy graduate Jack Grealish for a then British record of £100m. The England international provided plenty of flair and creativity during his time at Villa Park and was a catalyst behind the club’s promotion to the Premier League and consolidating the team in the top-flight under Dean Smith and Steven Gerrard.

He has won three league titles, one FA Cup and the Champions League since moving to City but has often failed to reach the same heights in terms of his all-round performance that he showed in the West Midlands.

2. Jhon Duran to Al-Nassr - £65m (2025) *pending

Assuming Jhon Duran makes the move to Al-Nassr, he will become the second most expensive departure in the club’s history The forward scored crucial winners off the bench in games against Bayern Munich, Leicester City and Everton over the course of the season and provided great cover for Ollie Watkins during his time in the Premier League.

3. Moussa Diaby to Al Ittihad - £50m (2024)

French winger Moussa Diaby was sold to Al-Ittihad for £50m after just one season at Villa Park. During his time at the club, he scored 10 goals and made nine assists across 54 matches while helping the team secure Champions League football for the first time since 1983.

He has scored once and made 10 assists in 13 appearances since moving to the Middle East to play alongside the likes of Karim Benzema, Fabinho and N’Golo Kante.

4. Douglas Luiz to Juventus - £42.35m (2024)

Brazilian international Douglas Luiz established himself as a firm fan favourite during his impressive five-year stay at Villa Park. The tenacious, tough tackling midfielder, chipped in with plenty of goals throughout his time at the club and was a catalyst for a successful league campaign last term.

He was sold reluctantly due to PSR restraints, but has struggled for first team action at Juventus and is already the subject of rampant speculation linking him with returns to both Villa and Manchester City.

5. Christian Benteke to Liverpool - £32.5m (2015)

Belgian international Christian Benteke was the club’s sixth highest goalscorer of the Premier League era and a force to be reckoned with when in full flow.

He joined Liverpool for a blockbuster fee in 2015 and after an initially decent start, struggled to fit into Jurgen Klopp’s system. Benteke went on to score 35 in 162 games for Crystal Palace before joining DC United in the MLS.

6. James Milner to Manchester City - £26m (2010)

One of the transfers which resulted in the bombshell departure of Martin O’Neil before the start of the 2010/11 season.

Milner, who currently plays for Brighton, formed a key part of the Villa team which regularly qualified for Europe during O’Neil’s reign as manager. The England international was lauded for his tireless workrate, stamina and pinpoint crossing ability. He notably lifted titles at Manchester City and Liverpool after leaving the West Midlands.

7. Jaden Philogene to Ipswich Town - £20m (2025)

Academy graduate Jaden Philogene’s return to Aston Villa was ultimately short-lived despite his impressive stint at Hull City last season.

The England Under-21 international struggled to break into the Aston Villa team this season but was sold on for a healthy profit of £20m to relegation strugglers Ipswich Town where he will hope for further first team exposure.

8. Stewart Downing to Liverpool - £20m (2011)

Former England international Stewart Downing enjoyed an impressive two-year stint at Aston Villa after being signed by Martin O’Neil and was sold to Kenny Dalglish’s Liverpool for double the £10m that had been paid two-years earlier.

He enjoyed a steady two-year stint at Anfield before playing for the likes of West Ham, Middlesbrough and Blackburn Rovers.

9. Cameron Archer to Southampton and Sheffield United - £15m (2024 & 2023)

Villa academy graduate Cameron Archer joined Sheffield United for £15m after a successful loan spell in the Championship with Middlesbrough.

He failed to hit the ground running with four goals in 29 appearances for a Blades team that finished rock bottom and returned to Villa in a buy-back obligation.

Archer now plays for Southampton, who he joined for a fee of £15m and is at risk of suffering a second consecutive relegation from the Premier League.

10. Dwight Yorke to Manchester United - £12.6m (1998)

Aston Villa fan favourite Dwight Yorke completed a blockbuster £12.6m move to Manchester United in 1998. The Trinidad & Tobago international, who was a roaring success at Villa, went on to form an incredible partnership with Andy Cole and was part of the Red Devils’ iconic treble winning team under Sir Alex Ferguson.

He scored 66 goals in 152 appearances for the Old Trafford club across all competitions before spending time at Blackburn Rovers, Sunderland, Birmingham City and Sydney FC in the latter years of his career.