Jhon Duran loses it again and gets opponent in headlock just minutes into debut

The striker's career has not been short of drama with the former Aston Villa man making his debut for Russian side Zenit St Petersburg

Former Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran was involved in a dramatic coming together just minutes into his debut for Zenit St Petersburg. The Colombian was penalised for appearing to get his opponent in a headlock an haul him to the ground.

Duran has been no stranger to controversy over the last few years, with his career taking a dramatic turn. He completed a loan move to Zenit, just over a year after playing Champions League football for Aston Villa.

The 22-year-old spent two years with the Midlands club, scoring 20 goals in 78 appearances in all competitions, challenging Ollie Watkins for a starting spot. However, he completed a controversial move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr in January last year for a fee of £64.5 million.

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The move to Saudi Arabia came after Duran was heavily linked with a move to West Ham and Chelsea, with the forward seemingly pushing for a move away from Villa Park. After spending just a matter of months with Al-Nassr, it’s reported that a more lucrative salary tempted the Colombian striker to move to Turkey when he moved to Fenerbahce on loan in the summer.

However, he failed to settle in the country, scoring just five goals in 21 games before his loan spell was cancelled. He joining Zenit on loan in early February, who are currently banned from competing in UEFA competitions due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Duran made his debut for the club when he was named in the starting XI in a pre-season friendly against Shanghai Port. Just five minutes into the match, the striker was involved in an incident which could have seen him sent off.

When chasing down a long ball from his teammate, Duran gets involved in a battle with a defender. After a couple of shoves from both players, the striker appears to jump above his opponent and grab him in a headlock before hauling him to the ground.

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Before the referee makes his way over, both players get up to their feet and share a quick handshake. The referee then brandishes a yellow card towards Duran and clearly tells the players to calm down.

The fact the game was a friendly may have served in Duran’s favour, with the official taking a more lenient approach.

Duran was sent off once during his time at Villa, when he was adjudged to have kicked out at Newcastle United defender Fabian Schar.

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