Joao Felix has expressed a strong desire to make an unexpected return to Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea’s transfer strategy has shifted dramatically following the collapse of their planned acquisition of striker Samu Omorodion from Atletico Madrid.
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The 20-year-old was set to join Chelsea in a £34.5 million deal, but negotiations fell apart over issues related to Omorodion’s contract.
In a surprising development, Chelsea are now focusing on re-signing Felix from Atletico Madrid in a deal potentially worth around £40 million. Felix, who previously spent half a season on loan at Chelsea in 2023, has shown interest in returning to the Premier League permanently, as reported by The Telegraph.
Atletico Madrid is said to value Felix at approximately £43 million, but Chelsea might be able to acquire him for a fee under £40 million. Felix, 24, is also reportedly willing to accept a considerable pay cut to fit within Chelsea’s salary structure.
Felix’s agent, Jorge Mendes, is currently in London negotiating the potential move, with discussions still ongoing, according to Fabrizio Romano.
This comes after Chelsea confirmed a £54 million deal for Wolves winger Pedro Neto, who shares the same agent as Felix. Atletico Madrid needs to sell players to fund the £81 million acquisition of Julian Alvarez from Manchester City and the £33 million transfer of Conor Gallagher from Chelsea.
Chelsea opted not to exercise their purchase option for Felix at the end of the 2022/23 season, but a new deal could benefit all parties involved. During his previous stint at Chelsea, Felix scored only four goals in 20 appearances and was sent off on his debut.
This summer, it has become apparent that Felix is not part of Atletico’s future plans, and while the club is eager to offload him, his high wages, reportedly nearly £100,000 a week, have been a stumbling block.
Felix remains one of the most expensive players in football history, with his transfer from Benfica to Atletico Madrid costing £108.8 million, the fifth highest fee ever.
