Bas de Leede, the Netherlands allrounder, has left Durham after three seasons with the club as he looks to prioritise his international commitments.
De Leede, 26, qualifies as a local player and has played 47 times for Durham across formats, but only featured twice last season due to a back injury and his Netherlands commitments, which included the European qualifiers for the T20 World Cup. He is now fit again and played a World Cup warm-up match against Zimbabwe in Colombo on Tuesday.
"After consultation with Bas we fully understand his decision to step back from county commitments at Durham," Marcus North, Durham's director of cricket, said. "Playing for the Netherlands is something Bas is extremely passionate about and with the rigorous county schedule, Bas wishes to focus on playing for the Dutch side and remaining as fit as he can be.
"We will remain in communication with Bas over the coming months and I am sure we will see him back in a Durham shirt down the line, for now we wish him the best for the future."
Durham have also announced that Shafiqullah Ghafari, the Afghan-born legspinning allrounder, has signed a year-long contract as a local player after a successful asylum claim.
Ghafari, who played for Afghanistan at the Under-19 World Cup in 2020, took five wickets in his two County Championship appearances for Durham at the end of the 2025 season, though could not prevent their relegation to Division Two. He has also been a prolific wicket-taker for Richmondshire in the North Yorkshire and South Durham Premier League.
"We're delighted to have Shafiqullah on board for next season as a locally qualified player," North said. "He's a cricketer we've been watching closely during his time in club cricket in the area. Shafiqullah brings us another all format option with his legspin, and this opportunity is thoroughly deserved."
Ghafari said in a statement released by the club: "The past three years have been some of the hardest of my life filled with challenges, sacrifices, and moments that tested my spirit. But every struggle made me stronger and reminded me why I love this game so deeply.
"Today, I'm truly proud and grateful to return to professional cricket. This comeback is not just about me, it's about growth, perseverance, and never giving up on what you love. Now that I'm back, my full focus and energy are on giving everything I have for my club -- to work harder than ever, to perform, and to make every moment count."
Durham announced last week that they have re-signed David Bedingham as an overseas player for next year. They have also brought in Kasey Alridge and Archie Bailey from Somerset and Gloucestershire respectively after losing Mitchell Killeen to Essex and Paul Coughlin to Lancashire, and will hope to have England captain Ben Stokes available for some early-season fixtures ahead of the Test summer.