Fred claims John Duran quit training after cash surge at Man Utd

Ex‑Manchester United midfielder Fred, now signed with Atletico Mineiro, has said former Aston Villa striker John Duran refused to train because he believes he is already rich. The comment was made by Sport writer Daniel Orme at 17:45 on 05 Oct 2026 and the story was published with View 2 Images.

Duran's Villa breakthrough and Saudi move

The Colombian forward enjoyed a standout spell at Aston Villa after arriving from Chicago Fire, netting 20 goals in 78 appearances. His form earned him a big‑money transfer to Saudi side Al‑Nassr. United fans will recall his earlier days at Manchester United, where he first crossed paths with Fred.

Loan spells, current form and Fred's own journey

Duran’s career later featured loan periods at Fenerbahce in Turkey, Zenit Saint Petersburg and Benfica, but he struggled to settle. He initially showed up for training at Fenerbahce before quitting completely, prompting former United and Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho to label his behaviour disrespectful.

At Benfica, the 22‑year‑old made 12 appearances in all competitions, only two of them as a starter, and scored twice. His contract with parent club Al‑Nassr runs until 2030, with Benfica holding an option to sign him permanently after the loan.

Fred himself left Manchester United in 2023 to join Fenerbahce, where he recorded 129 appearances and 12 goals. He returned to Brazil this year with Atletico Mineiro after five years with the Red Devils, having arrived from Shakhtar Donetsk.

Speaking on the Charla podcast, Fred recalled urging Duran to train: “Come on Duran, let’s train, let’s run a bit over there,” he said. Duran replied, “Bro, I’m already rich. I don’t need to run,” before heading to the medical department and slacking off.